The Spring Time of Youth
by Tonic the Hedgehog
Summary: The genin of The Village Hidden in Leaves are growing up... and their beginning to learn things about themselves and feel things for others that no sensei could ever teach them. NejiTen ShikaTem InoCho. Don't let low review count fool you! Good stuff here
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: The characters and... everything else are not my own. They are all copy-righted material of the folks who bring you Naruto: the animated series/manga. Please don't sue me!

(This fanfic takes place some time after the Sasuke Retrieval arc... in another dimension... a dimension that allows me to make as many canonical mistakes as I please! )

"You're kidding! You mean my daughter was unconscious when they brought her to the hospital? Oh,my word!"

The two grown women giggled with their hands over their mouths.

Her face swelled maroon with embarrassment as the pair giggled on light-heartedly. She couldn't believe they were laughing at her... they laughed right in front of her face, no less! She had never felt so defenseless in a long time. She gradually put her hands together and placed them between her legs. Her eyes searched diligently downward for some kind of escape, but the legs of the couch refused to supply it. Her chin pressed hard down against the base of her neck. Perhaps she felt that if her head hung low enough the waves of shame would wash clean over her, and not cause her to choke for air. It turns out it didn't work. She was choking for sure. TenTen hated them both so much right now...

The two elder women's laughter came to a deep sigh, and they looked towards the living joke of the night.

"Oh sweetie, please forgive us for laughing! Don't worry about your accident. The day will come when you will laugh at this moment too."

When Tenten heard those words leave her mother's lips, the choice words that danced in her mind were as dark and cold as the night outside the window. How could she EVER laugh at what happened to her? She wouldn't need to laugh, because all of Konoha would laugh for her if she kept silent. Thank heavens the accident didn't occur while she was in the Academy. Ino and the other girls would never let it go if they knew... gasp! Did they know? She lacked the strength in her heart to worry about that right now. Now, she would focus all her anger and shame on her mom's comment. Feeling the comment didn't even deserve a verbal response, Tenten lifted up her head and glared at her mother. "You gotta be kidding me, you idiot!" is what that glare said.

"Ms. Shizune. You agree with me right?" Her mom responded to the distressed stare, using the question as a chance to break away from it.

"Oh, most definitely." Shizune swept the left side of her hair to the back of her ear. The smile that was shot towards Tenten seemed to quiet the storm that was brewing on her face. "Tenten, there really isn't anything to be ashamed of. You had no way of knowing what was happening, and I blame that fact on the curriculum of Konoha's Academy."

The medic-shinobi closed her eyes and shook her head, as she began to voice the same rant that she had voiced to the board of education time and time again. In fact, she just got done sharing the rant with Tenten as she walked her home.

"That academy is so busy training the children how to kill, that it has forgotten to train them how to live. I understand that training them in the ways of the shinobi is essential for the villages and their own survival, but these children have been deprived of so much knowledge."

Shizune spoke emphatically, arising from her seat and leaving her cup of tea on the table.

"I mean, what do they expect to happen when a young lady doesn't understand her own body?"

_"Uh oh. Please, Shizune-kun, don't say it out loud anymore!"_

"Why if I were your age and if I grew up under this curriculum..."

_"She's going to say it. I can't believe she's going to say it. I heard it a thousands times from her already, and she's still going to say it."_

"... I would have fainted when I saw blood in my panties too!"

_"…"_

The second wave hit TenTen full force. And what's worse, her head wasn't even hung low this time.

**_The Spring Time of Youth..._** by Cyckness

"Is she gone?!?"

Tenten called out preemptively to her mother, as she heard the footsteps approaching the room to her door. The door creaked open.

"Yeah, Ms. Shizune is gone now..." She peaked her head in the door, an apologetic smirk painted across her face. "Still hate me?"

"...sigh...no."

Tenten sat up inside her green comforters and blankets, the sleeves of her silk pajamas exposed as she pulled her knees to her chest. Her deep-brown eyes seemed to stare downward and straight in front of her at the same time. Her mother made her way to the side of the bed, sat down, and rested her legs as though she was going to sleep there herself. She kept her eyes on her daughter, and Tenten naturally felt those eyes. She turned to look at her mom, stole one gaze, and turned her head again with speed that only a genin could possess.

"Ms. Shizune tells me that she explained the "changes" that your body was going through."

"MHmm... she told me more then once in detail" Tenten sighed.

"Damn. I wanted to be the one to give you the 'you're a woman now' speech!... You know, Ms. Shizune kept going on about how it was the Academy's fault that you didn't know about these sort of things, but I think all three of us know the truth." Despite the change in mood, Tenten's mother kept the same tone. "If only I wasn't working at the fish market so much, I would have noticed.."

"Mom, please don't blame yourself." Tenten spoke, her eyes maintaining their position away from her mom's face.

"I remember the day I taught you to fix your hair in buns." she ran her fingers over her daughter's hair, and rested her hands gently at the back of her neck. Tenten smiled warmly, though her knees concealed it.

"Mom..."

"I do!... But I can't remember how long you have been doing it for yourself. I taught myself to wear my hair in that style when I was around your age."

"Really?" Tenten turned toward her mother.

"Sure! You didn't think I had my hair like THIS all my life, did you?" She pointed to the large, single bun on the back of her head. "I met your late father with the double buns style. He was crazy about it!"

They both chuckled. Tenten placed her head comfortably in her mom's lap, preferring her mom's nostalgia over thoughts of how she'd face Konoha tomorrow morning. A devilish grin came to her mom's face, but the thought of her next question preceded that grin.

"Tenten?"

"Yes???"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

She could almost feel her daughter blushing against her lap. Tenten lifted up her head with violence.

"MOM!!!" Tenten whined sharply.

"Well, do you?" He mom wasn't moved at all.

"No!" Tenten dressed her mouth with a devil's grin of her own. "But guys look at me a lot."

"Why do you think that's so?"

"I think my breasts are getting larger." The kunochi pulled back the comforters and slid her knees down so her mom can get a better view. "See? They may attract the boys, but they really get in the way of training."

The two laughed again. Silence had seized the household for a moment. But it was not an uncomfortable silence, but rather a warm, full silence. It would have been a hearty feast from a foreign land, if one was able to taste silence.

"...And are you interested in any of these boys?"

Tenten had never thought about it, honestly. Sure, she nested in the other girl's gossip circles from time-to-time, and even talked about who she considered hot, but that was all just small talk. She began to search through the faces, biceps, triceps, and shoulders of the guys she knew. Then, it came to her. The revelation came wrapped up in a hunky package, and presented itself right at the forefront of her mind. Another wave hit her. This time, though, the embarrassment came from her thoughts.

"Sweetie, are you okay?" Her mom questioned with an undertone of laughter.

Tenten didn't realize it, but her face had been overcome by a splash of maroon again. When she left one embarrassing situation, she stepped into another. The emotion had been pursuing her all day. She fought down her gripping shame with all her will power in order to answer the question.

"Well... there is this one guy..."


	2. Chapter 2

"WAKEY WAKEY EGGS AND BACEY! WAKEY WAKEY EGGS AND BACEY! WAKEY WAKEY EGGS AND BACEY!" His arm struggled to tear its way out of the fabric cocoon he made. The young chuunin then raised his arm with great exaggeration and a bear-like arch. "WAKEY WAKEY EGGS AND BACEY! WAKEY WAKE-"

He sent his hand crashing down against the head of the Naruto figurine alarm clock, silencing its sharp, digitized song. He never understood why he had an alarm clock of Naruto standing with his hands to his hips. He didn't know where it came from, but he never questioned it. It was too troublesome to worry about it.

Shikamaru grabbed the borders of his comforter, and fiercely threw it onto the floor. The morning chill hit his exposed skin hard, and forced his weary eyes open. It was a technique he had mastered that made sure he didn't doze off when the "Narularm" stopped ringing.

"uuggghhh..."

Just as soon as Shika's eyes were wide open he had to shield them again. The stupid light had invaded the room through the huge window. The sun was in a very pissy mood it seemed, with such obnoxious brightness...

_"Tch, why does this window have to be so big? And why does it have to be facing right in front of my bed? The way this room was built is annoying as hell... The positioning of everything in here is such a pain in the ass. Stupid sun..."_

Not only was the sun annoying, pissed, and stupid; but it was a pervert. It was probably only shining so brightly so it could see Shikamaru in nothing but his underwear. The birds that flew by the window would surely blush as they saw his lean, almost-puny flesh laid out listlessly on his mattress. He slowly lifted both legs up at the same time, and swung around to the side of his bed. With a senior citizen's groan, Shikamaru raised his torso upward so that he was now sitting on his bed. He sat there for a moment, habitually playing with his fingers as he went over what had to be done today.

- Breakfast with Paps.

- Shogi with Asuma Sensei.

That was the fun stuff. But, Shikamaru also recalled...

- Disciplinary sessions for all Chuunin, taught under some random Jounin (he had a feeling it would be that Anko woman. She was loud and demanding, like Ino. Tch, troublesome females.)

- Jutsu training with Asuma Sensei (What a drag! One moment Asuma was cool, the next he was troublesome)

- Recreations class with the academy students...

"Ahhh... Not today."

Shikamaru whined aloud at the thought of having a class of academy students of his own. Of course, later on today it wouldn't be a thought, but a reality. Even though it was just a recreations class, Shikamaru's fear was that the brats he was watching would be just as rowdy as THEY were when they all were in the academy. Shika swore to himself that if there was a tiny Naruto, Kiba, and Chouji in his group that he would quit being a Chuunin.

After planning his day Shikamaru stood to his feet, stretched, and scratched the right side of his backside. He continued satisfying that itch for a moment while smiling.

**"Shikamaru! Your breakfast is getting cold..."**

His father had a way of yelling outside of a room that made it seem like he was speaking to you inside of a room. He had that manner of voice. Shika broke the hand/cheek connection, turned the knob to his door.

**"AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT COMING IN THE KITCHEN WEARING ONLY YOUR UNDERPANTS, YOUNG MAN!!!"**

His mom's voice, on the other hand...

_"Tch. A woman nagging at this time of the morning. SO troublesome."_

He scratched his right butt cheek once more while making his way to the closet, parallel to the head of his bed.

The sun wasn't only mad at Shika, but it had a grudge with everything in the Hidden Leaf Village all morning. Its harsh rays prevailed against the morning breeze, leaving the air parched and filling it with heat. Its harsh rays prevailed against sight, causing everything in the village that had eyes to squint them in pain. Its harsh rays prevailed against the trees and plants, nearly sucking the green life from their thirsty roots. Its harsh rays definitely prevailed over the animals of Konoha, causing them to cower under shades with their exposed tongues tasting the humidity. The sun even had the audacity to war against the nearby lakes of the land, greedily licking up almost an inch from the top. Why, this angry heat had even made the water thirsty! Though the sun was some kind of beast this Tuesday morning, there was one thing that the sun was not able to take down. Try as it did, the heat could NOT break the spirits of the people of Konoha.

The village moved on in angry rebellion toward the weather, going through the motions of their everyday lives with that much more vigor. Those who worked in the ramen shop did so with the sweat stinging their brow, trying hard not to let it drip into the soup and hoping to God that the customers didn't taste it if it did. The training Genin took off their head protectors to pour full basins of water onto and into their bodies. The mother of Tenten had a fight selling her fish as well. Her ruffled hair was beginning to show damage, the large bun starting to resemble a splat of black ink. The bangs to the sides of her face wouldn't stay where they were supposed to stay, and she had to tie them into her messy bun (which she hated to do, as she felt the bangs made her look young) to keep them from blocking her vision. To look on the bright side, at least she didn't have to worry about sun burn. The family she had came from had a honey complexion (which he passed on to Tenten), which was naturally resistant against the sun. Wiping the perspiration off of her simple facial features with her apron, she pressed on.

Not only had the sun failed to stop the people, but it actually activated them. Konoha hadn't been so loud and alive since Orochimaru's forces last invasion. The aggravated conversations added to the frantic activity in the atmosphere, filling the village with the sound of life. It was days like these that reminded people that they were alive. Everything was moving so quickly... Everything except this slug of a cook! If she had been moving any slower she would begin to move backwards! Ino was sick of it!!!!

"HEY, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, OLD LADY??? WHERE IS MY DUCK??!?!? **MOVE IT!!!**"

Ino had not forgotten her manners. She simply laid them aside. She would feel bad about rushing an over-weight elder later. As of now, however, she lacked the time. The dumplings and rice she had made were getting cold, which was a feat in itself under such weather... The duck was done roasting! Ino could smell it from where she was!

"AARRRHHH!!! MOVE. YOUR. ASS, LADY! MY DUCK BETTER NOT BE BURNT!!!!"

"okay okay..." The old lady managed to release those mousey words, which Ino didn't hear.

The blonde-haired kunoichi sighed and sucked her teeth almost simultaneously as she watched the old lady waddle to the back of smoke-filled enclosure, which lay behind a hanging green blanket. Ino just stared on in utter disbelief as the old cook struggled to lift the blanket! It was like she was TRYING to make her late. She pressed her hands down tightly, almost pushing the basket lid into the woven-basket itself. Noticing this she released the pressure on it, not willing to smash the food she had prepared inside. She, however, refused to release the pressure she was putting on the cook. She hoped the old fart could feel her icy stare on the back of her neck.

"Hey, Ino..."

"Hi, Shikamaru." Ino shot back quickly, hoping the speed of the response would give her teammate a hint.

"This heat is such a drag..." And, of course, he didn't get that hint. "You know we have to train with Sensei today, right?"

"We have to train with Sensei everyday. **WHY** would today be any different?" She turned her head away from the food-stand to look the annoyance in the face. He was standing there with his hands, linked together by his fingers, on the back of his head. It was a usual stance for Shikamaru. Again, she didn't try to mask her impatience with him.

"Tch, we are liable to pass out if we train under this blazing sun. I may not train today... it's too troublesome."

"I have no time for this. I can't talk right now. I'm busy." Hearing that stupid word "troublesome" had forced her to make it plain to him. Offense had attacked Shikamaru's face.

"Tch, whatever... I gotta go to disciplinary sessions anyway." He then turned and walked away, with his hands still folded behind his head.

Ino turned her head back to the food-stand to see that the old lady was carrying her roast duck. Her face, glistening with sweat, had now been illuminated with relief. Ino never thought she would be so happy to see the golden-brown corpse of a bird. She reached into the food-stand before the lady made it to the opening, grabbed the hot black rod which the duck was roasted on with her bare hands, threw down the two gold coins, and took off.

"DON'T YOU WANT THAT DUCK WRAPPED?"

The cook's cry received no answer. The dust left in Ino's wake caused the people of Konoha to gag as she jettisoned toward her destination. She nearly ran through her pink-haired friend.

"SORRY SAKURA. CAN'T TALK NOW. SEE YA LATERRRR!" Ino called back.

It took Sakura a second to process what just happened, as she coughed from the dust.

_"I wonder what would make Ino rush like that on such a hot day?" _

You had to wonder what would make someone eat like that. In some countries, it had to be illegal to be so gross. The tiny bones breaking, sinew snapping, the "**rrrssshh!!**" noises of flesh being stripped from the bone, oil and liquid fat being slurped like broth. A gluttonous musical was being performed right before the large wooden table, and it looked like it was a solo effort.

"Mpmhmmm,...mppmhmmm...mmm"

The boy squealed with glee in his own way. The heat of the day didn't dampen his determination one bit. Sweat dropped in bulk from his chunky face, like butter being melted over a flame. Of course, the sweat drenched the dumplings and rice as he tore into the roast duck, adding a light "salty" taste to the equation. There was nothing cartoonish or funny about the way this boy devoured his food. It was actually quite horrifying and sad. There was no break in between his feasting. No talking... no breathing. His digestive system was like a lusty assembly line, working on making him fatter no matter what obstruction came up. He couldn't even keep up with his appetite. He began to eat slower, but he didn't eat any less. People couldn't eat around him for long without feeling a strange mix of disgust and sympathy.

Truth be told, a piece of Ino wanted to just jump out of the seat, smack him for being so nasty, and run out of the humid house. But, the joy and relief of seeing her teammate survive a mission he should have died on was more then enough to keep her glued to her splintering seat. It was stronger then the sickening display. Yes, that joy and relief could cause her to just smile and stare, as though she was witnessing a dream come true. And that is exactly what Ino did.

"You like it? I made the dumplings and rice myself."

Chouji gradually nodded his head, eyes still focused on what he was shoveling in his mouth. No one ever knew how much she worried about Chouji after he was brought back from the mission to retrieve Sasuke. No one knew that she couldn't sleep until she knew he was taken care. No one knew how much she loved her teammate. No one knew how much she loved the team... No one. Not even she knew it. He licked his plate of all traces of the dumpling sauce and duck juices. Ino continued to stare at him, her eyes wide with care and satisfaction. Only now Chouji was paying enough attention to be embarrassed by those eyes. He focused his eyes on the plate he had just cleaned with his tongue.

"I'm glad you liked it." She spoke in such a heavenly tone that no one would believe Chouji if he told it. This couldn't be Ino.

"Ummm..." Chouji spoke. "Ino... W-why have you been doing this for me?

"Doing what?"

"You have been bringing me food and saying nice things tome for months now."

Ino giggled, and got up out of her seat.

"I'm... just glad your okay." She admitted. Ino walked over to his side of the large dark-brown table, and placed her hand firmly on his shoulders. Chouji giggled himself at the contact. "Come on... we have to go train with Asuma Sensei."

"OOKKKAAAYY!!!" His sudden outburst had taken Ino back a bit. The young shinobi has found new motivation in training ever since he defeated that fat member of Orochimaru's Official Guard. He genuinely wanted to become stronger. "DAD, I'M GOING TO TRAIN NOW!!!"

"**Fine. I'll see you later.**" His dad was meditating in the other room.

The two headed out of the large household. They headed toward the meeting place.

"Is Shikamaru gonna be training with us?"

"He told me he may not come. **_'Too troublesome'_**" Ino tried her best Shikamaru impression.

"That's just like him... The lazy bastard."

The two burst out into full laughter, even though his comment wasn't that funny. They walked on, laughing. Kiba passed by, and raised his eyebrow.

---------------------

"Okay, everyone LISTEN UP!" His sleek, laid-back voice was too sensitive for yelling. He always despised doing it. "I'm going to be your new recreation teacher. My name is Nara Shikamaru. Shikamaru Sensei is fine."

All the little academy students shielded their eyes, attempting to screen out the sun's glare while staring upward to look their new instructor in the face. It was a small bundle of children, and Shikamaru was thankful for that. He was still a little cranky that the board of education denied his request to have recreation class indoors today, but at least he didn't have to overwork his eyes by monitoring too many kids. He continued...

"Basically, this is a class where you're allowed to run around, play games, and practice the shinobi techniques you've learned in class. You have this entire area to yourselves."

The chuunin stretched out his hand to the field behind him. It was a wide open space of green grass with patches of parched brown here and there. The weathered field just outside the back parts of the Academy served as the recreation area since the days when the late 3rd was a student. The children looked at the empty and quiet field and then lamely looked back at their sensei with scrunched faces, awaiting more instructions. Shikamaru wasn't sure what to do or say next.

"Ummmm..."

He scratched the back of his sweaty neck, and closed his eyes for a moment... OH YEAH! He almost completely forgot.

"There is only one rule..." Shikamaru leaned downward to the children's level to show that he was serious. "... Don't ask me to join in any games today. This heat is a drag, and I'm going to lay down somewhere until time is up. Okay?"

A single sneeze from the crowd was his only response.

"Good. Now, before I let you guys go and run around in this troublesome sun, are there any questions?"

Shikamaru thought he would get the same zombified agreement as he has been getting when a hand went up among the crowd.

"Yes."

"I gotta go make doody."

Shikamaru sighed long and hard, and spoke with boredom.

"I already told you, Tetsuo. Iruka sensei said you're not allowed to use the bathroom anymore today."

"But I gotta make doody!"

"I doubt that."

"My tummy hurts, I swear!"

"Are there any more questions???"

It became silent once more, and then a sickly-looking boy with glasses stepped forward. He spoke like his throat was full of more snot then what was running down his nose.

"Aren't you Naruto-kun's friend?"

Shikamaru paused for a moment. "Yes, you can say that..." He opened the attendance files that were in his hands to match a name to the face he saw. "Udon."

"Where is Naruto-kun? I miss him!!!" A little girl with rosy cheeks and orange hair that shot upward exclaimed with anxiety.

Again, Shikamaru referred to his files. "Moegi, is it? He went away to train with one of the Legendary Sanin, Jiraiya... he should be back soon."

Moegi dropped her head, having her question answered with no satisfaction.

"_It's been about a year and a half since you left... Time's almost up. You better be a lot stronger when you return."_

"Will Naruto nii-chan take your job when he gets back?"

Shikamaru didn't have to see him to know exactly who that was, but the child made his face to be seen nonetheless. The grandson of the Sandaime Hokage stepped forward with trademark goggles about his forehead and blue scarf around his neck.

"No, Konohamaru, Naruto is still a genin. He's not allowed to have students yet."

"Aww man!" Konohamaru pouted while folding his arms. "So were stuck with you for the whole semester. This stinks!"

Shikamaru gasped a little. He then closed his eyes to try and contain his anger, but the anger escaped via a vein on the side of his forehead. He spoke sharply through his teeth.

"IF there are no more questions, you can all go and play now."

No sooner then those words had left his mouth, Shikamaru's quiet and agreeable students exploded into a mad stampede toward the field, screaming and laughing the whole time.

"REMEMBER MY RULE!!!" Shikamaru called out to his students in the distance, which was somewhat blurred to his vision by reason of the intense heat waves. He marveled that they could run and jump around so freely despite the weather. Even he, an experienced shinobi, found it hard to move around in training today with his team... Ah well, it was their funeral.

The chuunin turned around to find a place with shade, and jumped back with shock when he saw Konohamaru standing with his arms still crossed, his "Konohamaru corp" members Udon and Moegi on either side of him.

"Ummm... I said you guys can go play now".

"When is Nii-chan coming back." Konohamaru was determined not to be swayed by anything. He stared at Shikamaru with an attitude.

"I said he'll be back soon."

Shikamaru walked away from the 3 to a shady spot near the Academy building. He laid down there, put his hands behind his head, and closed his eyes... He yelped aloud when he opened his eyes to see the 3 kids standing over him.

"How soon?" said Moegi simply.

"A-about another year." Shikamaru answered, still shaken by the children's 'surprise visit'.

"How do you know?" Udon continued the questioning.

"Because he told me!"

"Why didn't nii-chan tell us that?!?!?"

"I don't know!"

"Psshh, I think your lying."

The chuunin sighed and put a hand over his face as though he was hiding from a nightmare.

_"Only 55 more minutes to go, Shikamaru. Only 55 more..." _


	3. Chapter 3

Tenten was still impressed with him. To this very day, she was amazed that she was still impressed with him. Counting today, this would be the 482nd time she witnessed this boy perform pure magic before her very eyes... And every moment she was mystified. She threw kunai, shiruken and sai at the boy, her eyes famished for more magic.

It always appeared that at least one of the sharp weapons would get by him, but they never did. His eyes were hopelessly sharp, even for her level of weapon mastery. Those eyes could see Tenten's finger muscles constrict before she ever released the weapon. Those lavender eyes would have been able to see it had it been thrown it to his back. Those lavender eyes, pulsating with blood, chakra and fire; never missed anything... Neji effortlessly knocked away all the projectiles with speed that the mind was never meant to keep up with. Wisps of chakra covered his hands for a moment, before vanishing in the air like vapor. He then focused his eyes on Tenten, Byakugan activated. The veins protruding to the sides of his head would make one not used to Neji think that he was about to punch the girl's head off, but his teammate was use to that look. Those eyes, scary as they were, could see that Tenten was a bit distracted today. Those eyes never missed anything...

"Your mind seems elsewhere today. Maybe we should finish this up tomorrow."

"NO!" Tenten said sharply, face glistening with sweat, eyes stuck in his lavender's. The thought of cutting the magic show short for anything was inexcusable. "We can continue."

Tenten looked around her surroundings for some possible advantage... but the sparring square of the Hyuuga Manor was pretty vacant. There were the stone slabs beneath their feet, and the connecting Branch and Main House building round about them in the distance. With sliding doors and double-tiled roofs, The Hyuuga's were among the only clan left to keep their domain in line with the ancient era. All the other homes of Konoha have been modernized, mainly into apartments. This, coupled with the old-times robes and manner of the Hyuuga people in general, made a trip to Hyuuga Manor like a trip to the past... The roofs of the surrounding houses were quite far from the sparring square... Tenten had a plan.

She bit down on her thumb. Without giving her teammate any warning, she jettisoned herself high into the air, two huge scrolls strapped to her back. In the midst of the burning hot atmosphere, Tenten ripped the scroll from its place, sending it pouring open like a paper river. In a fluid display of gymnastics she pressed her bleeding thumb down on the scroll, flipping forward to run her thumb all the way down it as it was spiraling downward. Poofs of smoke surrounded her... and her weapons were revealed. 100's of shiruken, kunai, sai, kama, huge spiked orbs, swords, lances, and arrows preceded her like the front lines of a vicious army. As she was upside down Neji could spy a sadistic smile on the kunoichi's quaint face. He answered with his own smile, before-

**"Hakkesho Kaiten!!!!!" **

Just as Tenten expected. A twisting shell of blue light suddenly surrounded the Hyuuga as he spun with celestial violence, his palms positioned outward. All the projectiles were deflected with fury all over the sparring square, actually cracking the stone slabs that they were standing on. Tenten immediately began dashing toward one of the Hyuuga building when her feet touched the ground. Even as she sprinted like a greyhound to avoid her own weapons she observed the supremacy of the boy's magic. The lighter of her weapons, like the shiruken, didn't even quite touch Neji's chakra shield before they were deflected... This was because the chakra shield wasn't what was reflecting them. She wondered if he even realized it, but Neji had gotten to a level that the wind forced back from the speed of his spinning was now a barrier itself. He was practically blocking metal objects with nothing but his own speed! Of course, to untrained eyes, all that could be seen was the unstoppable field of blue. Blue... If speed had a color... but Tenten had no time to applaud him just yet. As she came to one of the nearby towering buildings she began to run alongside the wall. As she sprinted from building wall to building wall like it was a side-walk, she gracefully whipped out her second scroll. She rubbed her still bleeding thumb over the scroll, and after the puffs of smoke dissipated, strings could be seen strapped about her 10 fingers. At the ends of those strings were kunai. Neji was still performing his Hakkesho Kaiten while Tenten did all this. She figured it would be pretty hard for Neji to focus his Byakugan on what she was doing while he rotated at such high speeds. When Neji was through reflecting all the weapons from Tenten's initial attack, the entire sparring area of Hyuuga Manor looked like it had just been through a war. Of course, the less battle-savvy Hyuuga's remained indoors when these two were training. Neji's blue seemed to power down as he put a spot to the rapid spinning. A cloud of shock overtook his face as he managed to knock away the incoming kunai seconds before it tore his shoulder from behind. Neji swept around to see Tenten in the air once more. Her left pinky was pointed at Neji, but he hadn't figured out why. Tenten then pulled her pinky back to herself, and Neji's Byakugan detected what was coming before his mind could. He saw the kunai he just dodged swing back toward his leg, and just managed to dodge it again by lifting up his leg. The blade stimulated some of the hairs on Neji's legs, but it didn't really qualify as touching him. Damn! Tenten swept her right hand toward her opponent, and this time Neji cut off the threads to the kunai while dodging the weapons themselves. The kunai struck the stone tablets around him, taunting Tenten with an insulting "ting" noise. He was aware of her plan. She didn't even bother trying to attack with her right hand again. She landed hard on the stone sparring square, and detached the strings from her hands. She looked at this boy with both hot anger and even hotter admiration. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't hit him. He was like a butterfly that she saw everyday, but just couldn't catch in her net. But, that was her Neji. That was her magician.

"You're getting better." She hadn't even noticed that Neji was breathing quite heavily. Apparently she was closer to getting him then she realized. "Okay. It is bit too warm out here for excessive movement, so that's enough training for today."

Neji deactivated his Byakugan, and began to walk back toward the house. As expected, he wasn't much interested in conversation.

"Wait."

Though she always hated when training with her teammate was over, there was something that especially irked Tenten about seeing Neji turn away from her. She blushed quite noticeably when he flung his long black hair around to turn back to her.

"Yes?"

She lowered her eyes, and spoke to the stone squares below her.

"I-I was... well, I was wondering..."

"Wondering what?" His flat disposition wasn't making this any easier for her. He turned completely around to face her.

"Well... what do... I mean to ask..."

"Tenten?" Neji now spoke with a little more concern. He had never seen Tenten at such a loss for words.

"I WAS WONDERING IF... you had any plans for today?" Tenten beat down her shame by applying extra force to her opening words. She immediately turned completely behind her when the question did come out.

Neji drew a huge question mark. Just what was she getting at? He thought for a moment that maybe Gai Sensei put her up to this, but remembered that Tenten hated Sensei's foolishness just as much as he did. He was completely in the dark.

"Well... I meditate for a few hours after our training; I eat, Jyuuken training by myself, and meditate again before I go to sleep." He answered her question like he was being graded on it.

"Okay, that's fine, I was just wondering if you wanted to take a walk with me, or something. No big deal. Kay, see ya tomorrow!" Tenten blurted out before smiling and attempting to walk off.

"Take a walk with you?"

Tenten swung her head around at the question, a glowing expression on her face. Was he actually considering?

Neji studied the idea for a second. Unless they were looking for a better training area in the forest clearings, he couldn't figure out a good reason to walk with her. Again, Neji was blank.

"Why would I do that?"

Tenten somehow managed to let out a forced laugh at that unbelievably cold question.

"EXACTLY! It was stupid. I'll just go now. See ya tomorrow."

"Okay." Neji walked off.

When Tenten turned away, she begged heaven that she would never live to look Neji in the face again. She had every intention of drowning her sorrows and tears in the face of her pillow when she got home. That is, of course, after telling her mom that she hates her and will never forgive her for putting her up to this. She wished they never even had that talk last night. She left Hyuuga Manor dragging her heart on the floor, hoping it would just break so it wouldn't hurt so much.

She turned back at the cold, insensitive Manor that she just left for a moment. She looked up at the buildings with her eyes already misty. She'd never train here again. Neji could easily see that she was the biggest idiot on the planet. After all, those eyes never missed anything...

_**"Hmmm... the Hyuuga kid, eh?" Tenten's mom spoke suggestively. **_

**_Although the genin was laying in the bed she slept in for her whole life, she had no idea where she was right now or how she got there. She was almost in a daze as she declared her top-secret crush aloud for the first time. It was like this whole night wasn't real to her. She had reached the point of embarrassment where a person goes from rejecting the shameful feelings to embracing them... and in embracing that shame, it allowed Tenten to be uninhibited for a brief moment. She would worry about the consequences of revealing her love to her loud-mouthed mom later. For now she was drunk on the freedom of having to hide nothing, and the power that came along with that freedom. It was fun. Tenten couldn't wipe the smile off of her face. _**

_**"Yep. Neji Hyuuga." **_

**_The middle-aged woman grabbed the picture frame off the dresser to the side of her daughter's bed. It contained a picture of Team Gai posing in a forest clearing. There was Tenten's sensei with a pearly-white smile and a cheesy thumb in the air. Next to him was that energetic boy, imitating his sensei in both the "Nice Guy Pose" and the... "festive" apparel. She liked Lee, but her daughter found him very annoying. Then there was her daughter, hands cupped together below her waist with a cheesy smile of her own. And, coincidently, she stood by the Hyuuga. His arms were crossed and his face was twisted and embittered, as though he had taken in poison. Tenten's mother whistled as she looked the boy up and down. _**

_**"My, My, MY!" she exclaimed. "My daughter has excellent taste, it seems." **_

**_"Ewww, mom. You're creeping me out." Tenten didn't like the lustful glimmer in her mom's eye at all. _**

_**"What? Is there something wrong with me finding your teammate hot?" she laughed. **_

**_"Yes. VERY wrong." Tenten wasn't laughing._**

_**"But..." Her mom spoke while still studying the picture. "I hear around the marketplace that Neji is quite a serious young man... and a bit of a snob." **_

_**"No..." **_

**_Tenten lightly took the picture frame from her mother, and gazed at the boy herself. She rubbed her finger over Neji's face like she was trying to soften the stony places within his features._**

_**"Well, he used to be like that, but Neji has changed alot..." **_

**_And surely he had. Slowly Neji was beginning to show his love and care for the people around him. Maybe the others did not see it, but Tenten saw it clearly. She could even pinpoint the moments she noticed the change. The moments she saw that the "poison" that plagued that beautiful face had been extracted. First, it was when the Chuunin Exam disaster was over. She had heard that he resolved some issues he had with his Uncle, and it MUST have been some kind of resolution. His whole outlook on life changed so very drastically. The second transformation occurred when he returned from the mission to rescue Sasuke... after he recovered from his battle. He seemed a lot... "clearer" to her. Neji only gave the details of the outer conflict in that battle, so Tenten never knew what happened within that brought about his change in attitude. She had no idea what did it, but she was so thankful that it was done. That gripping bitterness was the one side of her secret love that she hated. Tenten tilted her head and smiled within herself at her thoughts. She was always impressed with Neji, but she was proud only of the "new" Neji. _**

**_Tenten's mom just stared at her daughter warmly, which of course Tenten didn't notice. _**

_**"I see... and when do you plan on asking him out?" **_

**_Tenten quickly placed the picture frame down on her bed while staring at her mom with confusion and condescendence. _**

_**"Are you kidding? Try NEVER! Even if I wasn't sure he would turn me down, The Hyuugas are a family of traditions. There not like us! I'm the girl, so HE is supposed to ask ME out." **_

_**"Hmmm... right, the Hyuugas ARE a very formal bunch, this is true... Sooo, what is stopping you from asking him out again?" **_

**_Now Tenten truly was confused. Her mom laughed yet again, before sighing heartily. _**

_**"It is true what Ms. Shizune was saying... they don't teach you girls ANYTHING in that academy!" **_

**_"What do you mean?!?" Tenten was getting a little insulted. Her mother leaned in close to her. _**

**_"Listen carefully to your mother... There are ways a girl can ask a guy out without saying a word." She winked. "Do you understand, Tenten?" _**

_**"Yeah, I get it... I just have to grab his attention... I have to make him want to ask me out... by any means necessary." **_

_**"Bingo. THAT'S my girl!"**_

_**"But I don't want to seem cheap!" **_

_**"Sweetheart, there are many ways a girl can make herself "available" without seeming cheap. Besides, anyone who has been around you as much as Neji knows you're far from cheap." **_

_**"...How do I make myself available to him?"**_

**_"Well, Tenten, you wouldn't be a proud member of the Wui family if you weren't able to figure that part out on your own!" _**

_**The dazed effect of un-inhibition was wearing off quickly. The genin came to herself. She pulled her knees up to her chin once more. **_

_**"B-but what if... he isn't interested in me?"**_

**_"I am sure he will be interested." She responded simply. "You underestimate your beauty, Tenten." _**

**_Tenten's mother leaned in, and lightly kissed her daughter on the forehead. She then pulled her legs from the bed, and planted them squarely on the carpeted floor. She stood up, and made her way to the door. Tenten kept her knees to her chin. _**

_**"Besides..." Her mother stopped for a moment, and turned to her daughter with a playful grin. "You are an enchantress, just like me! When you set your heart and your eyes on the man you want, he is powerless to refuse you." **_

_**The flick of the switch next to the door left TenTen in the dark. **_

_"Powerless to refuse me? What a bunch of bull."_

More anger fed the fire that was first kindled by shock and sadness. The more she thought about how she actually brought that load of garbage her mother laid on her, the more furious she became. Her heavy head refused to be picked up, and her glassy eyes refused to be cleansed. She marched down the cobblestone road of the beautiful housing district of Konoha with violence in her steps. This was the rich part of Konoha, where the more wealthy families and nobles of Leaf Village laid their heads. Apart from the cobblestone road and the decedent houses themselves, the area was bursting with lush hills of green and vibrant bushes bearing various fruit. The cloudless sky on this blazing afternoon made the image that much more majestic. Tenten's mood and body language was like a dark blot on this perfect picture. Whatever. The speed of her steps made it clear that she didn't want to be in the "Province Area" anymore then the area wanted her in it.

"Tenten!"

The call completely disarmed her. She so rarely heard her name called by that deep, fluid voice.

"Tenten!"

She froze in her steps, and turned around to see Neji jogging lightly behind her. Though Tenten couldn't help but feel "lighter" in heart, she would not allow her hopes to be built up like before. She waited for him to stop in front of her.

"Yes?"

The Hyuuga looked a tad irritated.

"I had been calling you for the last 2 minutes..."

Tenten's high-pitched laugh filled the area with over-drama and discomfort. She closed her eyes and scratched the back of her head as she explained.

"Sorry! I guess I'm just really absent-minded today!"

"I noticed."

"Hee hee!"

"Are you sure you're alright?"

The genin allowed her hand to drop off the back of her head. She put her head down for a moment before picking it back up with just the slightest attitude toward her comrade.

"So... what is it?"

"Oh, yes." Neji cleared his throat. "I decided that I wouldn't be able to meditate properly until my curiosity was satisfied."

"Oh..." Was all she could manage.

"So... you live on the other side of Konoha right?"

"Ummmm???"

"Tenten..."

"Oh, RIGHT! Yes, I live about 45 minutes from here!"

"So I will take a walk with you home then... and perhaps find out what this is about."

Neji began to move forward without waiting for his star-struck teammate to lead the, a half smirk on his face. Joy, disbelief, and memories of those words had glued her feet to the cobblestone.

_"When you set your heart and your eyes on the man you want, **he is powerless to refuse you.**"_

Tenten came back to herself, and jogged to catch up with him. She slowed down her pace as she walked beside his right, facing ahead as though if she looked directly at him she would suddenly wake up. Neji glanced over at the sides of her irritated eyes, and looked straight again.

"Your eyes... were you crying earlier?"

"No.. no, some pollen from the plants around here got into my eyes." she lied.

"I see..." he lied as well.

"... It sure is nice out today."


	4. Chapter 4

**"Hey! What jutsus is the legendary sanin teaching Naruto?" I bet its super-pervy! Well, I'm not letting him beat me! I'll develop my own sexy jutsu!"**

Had it been anyone but him in the situation, he would have found this hilarious...

**"Are you sure it's only one more year? I hope your right I miss him so much! Can you ask around to make sure it's true?"**

**"But who would teach it to me? No one knew it but him... Do you know the sexy jutsu? Probably not, you're too lame."**

Shikamaru tried desperately to ignore Konohamaru and Moegi with little success. As he lay in the shade looking up at the golden sky, they sandwiched him in with their loud and obnoxious questions. Bunch of brats. Udon had decided to be quiet and let his nose drip from a distance.

**"I bet you I miss Naruto-kun more then Sakura-chan does! She's ugly. Don't you think Sakura-chan is ugly, sensei? Cause' she is!" **

**"Hey, Shikamaru! Are you listening to me? You better not try to ignore me! Iruka sensei can't ignore me so what makes you think you can, huh huh?"**

The chuunin was beginning to grit his teeth as he was slowly slipping away into madness... He would at least stay sane enough to think up a good "I resign from being a recreation sensei" speech... It had to be something good to convince Asuma sensei and his dad.

**"I bet you when we see Naruto-kun again he'll be all big and strong! I can't wait to feel his muscles! You should start lifting weights, sensei. That way you won't look so weak in front of him.**

**"Shika is a loser! Shika is a loser! Shika is a loser! Shika is a loser! Shika is a loser! Shika is a loser!" **Konohamaru sang his taunts.

_"Okay, Shikamaru, this is what we'll do... Just punch them in the face. I know it's troublesome to be so violent, but think about it... not only will it teach them never to be pains in the ass again, but you'll definitely get fired for child abuse. You can't lose. It's brilliant. Okay... on 3... 1...2..."_ Shikamaru had actually taken his hands from behind his head and made a fist with both of them.

**"I can't wait until I become a genin! I'll get strong enough to kick that Orochimaru's ass myself! And then Sasuke AND Naruto will be so happy with me, because I'll smack Sasuke back to his senses!"**

Just when Shikamaru was about to carry out his most deviant plan yet, the children who were playing suddenly shouted with glee. The chuunin also felt the vibration in the ground from their footsteps and decided to sit up to see what was going on. They appeared to be surrounding something or someone like a pack of excited vultures. Shikamaru uncurled his fists (for now) and used his hands to push himself off the ground. He walked over to the back doors of the Academy, where all the children had gathered.

"YAY!!!! It's the team from the Hidden Sand Village!!! They came to visit us just like they said they would!" Shikamaru heard one of the children exclaim.

He hesitated for a moment, though he didn't know why. Shikamaru then took a deep breath, put his hands in his pockets, and walked on.

"What? You guys didn't think we would keep our word? We would never leave you guys hanging!" It wasn't that cheerfulness didn't suit her, but Shikamaru was not used to hearing such light-hearted talk from the woman's strong, cool voice. "Now kids, where has your cry-baby sensei run off to?"

At that question, the group of children all split apart like the Red Sea to reveal Shikamaru to the woman who was asking for her.

He had not seen for a year. Temari… she made one helluva an impression on a guy considering she hadn't changed one bit. Her feet were still covered in the usual shinobi footwear, exposing her toes. She was wearing the same fishnet stockings over her left thigh and right shin, which Shikamaru always thought were very unnecessary. Above the fishnet stockings were the same black trunks, which were covered by the same violet skirt-tunic ensemble. The same light-purple sash (also unnecessary in Shika's eyes) was tied about her waist, and her forehead-protector was worn in the same fashion, covering her neck. Her hair was still in the same messy pigtails. And that same fan was folded in its place, strapped behind her back... if it was all the same as before, why did Shikamaru feel his heart drop when he saw her? Why did those sandals look so "different" on her feet? Tch, whatever.

"Ah, and here is the cry-baby now!" Temari stared at the object of her ridicule with her head tilted slightly to the side and with her palms firmly pressed against her hips. She stood with more weight being placed on the left side of her body, so her left hip was slightly more elevated then her right. She was smiling at him with an "under-handed" smile... like one that an infamous criminal would possess. The word "sassy" didn't quite do Temari much justice, but it would have to suffice.

"Hey." Was his response, as he finally made his way right in front of the three siblings.

"Yo." Kankuro nodded to Shikamaru, his hands inside the pockets of his black body suit, and the freaky puppet cocooned on his back.

"..." Gaara nodded his head as well, but didn't drop his eyes from Shikamaru while he did. His arms were crossed, and that sand gourd took up his entire back. Shikamaru was still a little nervous around him.

Shikamaru made eye contact with Temari again. The children kept their mouths shut like the two young shinobi were about to have a duel.

"They told me I would find you back here. We only came to visit the kids, but I guess its okay that we ran into you."

Shikamaru smirked at her. "Tell yourself what you want. You know you're thrilled to see me."

"Hmph. You wish."

The two enjoyed a good stare down for a few moments, complete with their own competitive smiles. Kankuro chuckled a bit at his thoughts on the situation, but no one seemed to notice.

"Hey, Shikamaru! Isn't this that girl who saved your sorry butt a year ago?!"

Leave it to Konohamaru to ruin the moment. The surrounding children burst into laughter and that vein, which only seemed to make appearances during Konohamaru's antics, pulsated out of Shika's forehead. Temari knelt down to ruffle the academy student's head as a reward for the comment. Konohamaru didn't mind at all. She spoke to her brothers.

"How about you guys go and play with the kids. I'll keep the cry-baby company."

They both nodded again.

"Okay, which one of you kids wants to see me move my puppets!" The children all jumped around Kankuro and Gaara, and forgot Temari ever existed. Shikamaru was relieved. FINALLY, The Konoha corps. was out of his hair for a moment.

"So." Temari and Shikamaru seemed to instinctively walk toward the shaded area together. "How have things been?"

"Tch, troublesome... but the condition of Konoha is beginning to stabilize. Were slowly beginning to build up our former power... Our Fifth Hokage is really coming through for us."

"That's good to hear" Temari replied simply, sitting down under the first spot of shade she could find. She placed both her legs flatly on the barren ground, and kept her upper body elevated by placing her palms on the ground as well. "And what about your new job? I didn't take you as one who is enthusiastic enough to deal with children."

Shikamaru sat down beside her, one of his legs bent with his knee touching his chest and with the other leg stretched out over the ground. "Tch, don't remind me. I was assigned this job and today is my first day. Such a drag."

"Then you were forced to take this job?"

"Yeah."

"Good." Temari didn't inflect or deflect her voice too often when she spoke, so it was hard to read where her conversations were going. For instance, Shikamaru couldn't have judged the light banter would suddenly come to this. "I thought for a second that you might still be crying about failing your first chuunin mission. I thought that you decided to hide behind lighter obligations, like taking care of kids."

"..." The Sasuke Retrieval mission was still a touchy subject for Shikamaru. He looked straight ahead and frowned slightly as he spoke. "I... haven't been on a mission of as much importance as that one since then, but I have taken on a few field missions."

"..." Temari looked ahead as she spoke too. "Do you think you are becoming a stronger leader?"

"I have yet to fail a mission since then, and I have yet to have anyone die under my orders... but I need a big mission to see if I truly have gotten stronger... I think I have changed though."

"Well, one thing is certain. You definitely aren't talking like a baby anymore." Temari had been listening to the resolve in his voice, and detected no "quit" in it. Completely different from the last time they spoke. Sure, he was still the same lazy bastard who would get out of working hard if he could, but she could see plainly that she wouldn't need to worry about witnessing another 'pep talk' with his dad.

"I guess not." Shikamaru smiled again, taking Temari's comment as confirmation of his growth. "And what about you?"

Temari faced his question with a mouth full of exposed pearly teeth within a cheesy smile. "Well, you know I couldn't let the likes of you beat me in ninja rank!"

Shikamaru looked surprised. "So you're saying you're a Chuunin now?"

"That's right! Me and Kankuro have both been promoted during the Chuunin exams a few months ago."

"Right... I forgot Konoha didn't take part in the Exams this year. All the genin were too busy doing missions to restore the village."

"Yep. And you guys are lucky you didn't enter the Exams too. Me and my brothers mowed through the competition. Your friends would have just gotten hurt."

Shikamaru watched with a raised eyebrow as Gaara elevated three laughing academy students into the air with a stream of sand from his gourd. Awkward. He had that same creepy expression on his face. Shikamaru spoke with his eyes still on the former psychopath.

"Then **He** is a chuunin?"

"Not exactly." Temari grabbed the back of her neck and rotated her head in a circular motion a bit. Shikamaru heard her neck crack a few times from the action. "The officials of the Chuunin Exam were so impressed with Gaara's performance that they immediately put him through a special program that would accelerate him to the Jounin rank. He passed every objective within that program with flying colors."

"What?!?! You mean he is a jounin now?"

"What I mean is that Gaara is a jounin who is already getting nods from the heads of my village to become the next Kazekage!" She was speaking with pride in her brother, but Temari's eyes fled to the ground for a moment. "Hopefully he'll make a better Kage then our late father."

"So... then he has 'it' under complete control?" Shikamaru cursed himself for speaking so plainly about the demon inside Gaara.

"Yes." Temari took a breath and raised her head again. "You know... it seems that my brother is way more in control of the demon's power then he once thought. When Gaara finally decided he wanted to be the sort of guy who is devoted to helping others, it seemed that the monster in him just lost the will to kill."

"Hmm... That's good to hear." Shikamaru and Temari smiled at each other again. They didn't turn away.

_"Her eyes... there so strange. I can't figure them out. The color is so deep and blue, but definitely not like any ordinary blue. It's like a mix of deep blue and black, like outer space. I've never seen anything like it... it's almost like it has its own light to it. So freaky. So hard to look away." _

Temari's smile was beginning to disappear, while redness arose on her cheeks.

_"His iris's are so beady and dead looking. It's like someone painted them on his eyeballs. Gross. Just what is he staring at anyway?" _

Temari turned sharply away from Shikamaru and focused on a line of children waiting for their chance to ride on the back of Kankuro's puppet. There. NOW she was ready to talk.

"What!?!"

"Tch, nothing." Shikamaru laid his back on the ground with his hands in the back of his head like before.

"Hmph! Anyway, what time is this recreations class over?"

"About 5 minutes."

"Great. Because you're starting to bore me."

"No one asked you to sit with me." Shikamaru spoke nonchalantly with his eyes closed.

"Excuse me?!" Temari raised her voice slightly and pierced Shikamaru through with a dagger-sharp stare. Shikamaru opened one of his eyes slightly.

"I said your welcome to sit somewhere else if you think I'm 'boring you'."

"And what makes you think I'll move just because you want me to?"

"I never said I wanted you to move." He closed his eye again.

Though her face was flushed with anger she couldn't help but argue on. Truth be told, she loved the way this anger felt.

"Good. Because I'm staying right here. After all, I sat down here first."

"Hmph. suit yourself."

"Fine."

Shikamaru just sighed, eyes still closed. "Bratty women always try to have the last word."

It was silent for a moment... "You are so hopeless."

Shikamaru just shook his head, and remained quiet. Temari smiled, being satisfied that she felt she was getting to him. She took off the huge fan from her back, and placed it down beside her. She allowed her arms, which she was using as support to sit up, to slide down to the ground. She crossed her ankles, and was now lying beside the fellow chuunin. She saw his eyes were still closed. She placed her hand on his shoulder and shoved him suddenly. The shinobi's whole body shifted under the force of her push. When Shikamaru opened his eyes he saw Temari lying with her eyes closed and her hands behind her head, looking innocent.

"Tch." He simply got back in his original position, and closed his eyes as well.

Udon sniffled uncontrollably as he whimpered and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"What's the matter with you, kid?" Kankuro responded, looking down at him.

"Y-Y-Y-You guys are leaving now, and I didn't get a chance to ride your puppet!" Udon broke out into a nasal-congested cry after those words.

Recreation time had ended. Shikamaru sensei and the children were now just outside the entrance door to the Academy, seeing the Sand Siblings off. All the children looked as though they were burying dead puppies.

"Stop that crying, kid!" Kankuro spoke harshly. "Your gonna be a genin soon. It's shameful for a shinobi to cry."

"Besides... It's not like we are not going to visit you again." Gaara spoke. "We will return. Someday."

"We'll be back next week."

Gaara and Kankuro immediately looked at their sister after she decided what bthey/b would be doing next week for them.

"We will?" Kankuro spoke up.

"We will start coming around every now and then, so start expecting us." Temari smiled at Udon, who smiled back. The children's faces lit up like Katon jutsu.

"Uhhh, Temari? Do you think we have enou-" Kankuro stopped his sentence in its tracks when he noticed that his elder sis was looking at that recreations sensei again. He grinned from ear-to-ear. "OHHHHH... I get it now."

"WHAT do you 'get now'?!" Temari looked over her shoulder and sent a chilling gaze to her brother's direction.

"Heh heh heh... Never mind."

"..." Though chills were still proceeding from her glare, she spoke on. "But for now kids we must be leaving you. Good bye, and show us the new jutsus you learn next week!"

As Gaara and Kankuro began to walk off, the children all shouted their good-bye's.

"Later. Cry-baby." The words came out smooth as butter to Shikamaru, and he almost blushed at them.

"Later. Brat"

They shared one last-second "smirk" toward one another before the sand kunoichi followed her brothers out of the Academy area. Shikamaru figured that his first day on the job was a successful one. It could've been disastrous had they not shown up... The children all turned over to Shikamaru to await his next instructions.

"... Oh yeah, CLASS DISMISSED!!!"


	5. Chapter 5

The sand brothers made their way down the stone steps of the Academy onto the main streets of Konoha. Temari rushed down the steps behind them, making sure to bump fiercely into Kankuro's shoulder as she passed him by.

"Hey!" Kankuro knelt down to pick up the pointed cap that jumped off his head after his sis's push. "What's your problem?!?!"

Temari didn't say a word. She just marched to the right of the school down the pathway that led to the outskirts of the village. Gaara simply shook his head, knowing that his older brother's mouth had thrown him into Temari's line of fire. As Kankuro attempted to fashion the cap properly on his head, he saw some "old friends" that the group knew very well walking toward them from the left of the Academy.

"Well, lookey what we have here!" Gaara turned his head to Kankuro's call and couldn't help but smirk. "Temari! You may want to check this out!"

"What do you want..." Temari turned her head and actually giggled at who was walking toward them. She walked back to where her brothers stood as though they were forming a wall of oppositions.

"Oh my! This day just keeps getting better and better! Who could've predicted I would run into you?" Temari called out, but whomever they spoke to gave no response. This just provoked her more. "Aww, what's wrong? Don't tell me you still haven't forgiven me for what happened back then?! And I thought we could be friends!"

Kankuro roared out in laughter. "Yeah, speaking of which... how is your back doing these days, cutie?!"

The sand siblings all let out snickers laced with cyanide.

Vengeance and fury went before Tenten. It was thick in the air, and the feeling of it made Temari tingle all over. All the joy and comfort Tenten felt for Neji since they began walking together had been superseded, for the moment, by the vengeance and fury. The genin girl didn't even look upset as she made her way up to the Sand Siblings. Of course, she didn't look like she was in control of herself either. She was driven, possessed if you will. She pulled out a kama from behind the back of her pants as she walked on, Neji not too far behind. It would seem that the kama was the one who was moving Tenten. Her weapons had suddenly become thirsty for blood that they should have spilled years ago. Temari's blood. Suddenly, the kama just disappeared from Tenten's grasp and a "THUD" sounded in the midst of the sand team... the kama plunged its blade deep into the earth just between Temari's feet. Kankuro, Temari, even Gaara flinched a bit in shock. Temari raised her head to find that Tenten was a bit closer to her then she would usually allow. The kunoichi jumped back a fair distance, and put her hand on her sheathed fan.

"I want my rematch." Tenten didn't even think about blinking as she demanded what she demanded.

"Idiot." Temari had a smirk on her face that she reserved for the battlefield. "Don't get so emotional. You getting a weapon by me hasn't changed a thing."

She walked closer to Tenten with no fear of retaliation, and also didn't blink as she spoke into her opponent's burning brown eyes. "There is no one to stop the fight this time. I suggest you stand down right now... or I will break you in two."

"Perhaps you weren't paying attention, 'Princess of The Sand'." Neji spoke from behind Tenten, who refused to back away from Temari. Cynics and sarcasm was not new to him, so the Hyuuga would be right at home arguing with the three of them. "Tenten's speed and the force behind her projectile weapons have both increased a great deal. If you fight her here and now, I guarantee that she will beat you."

Tenten was flattered beyond all reason that Neji gave her such a compliment. Though she still wanted the rematch with all her being, the fury had subsided after those words. She began to blink immediately, and looked away from Temari. Temari snickered again, pulled out her fan while it was still folded, and pointed it directly at Neji. She disregarded Tenten, feeling that her killing intent had suddenly dropped.

"To hell with your empty guarantees, Hyuuga. I would put you down just as easily as I would put her down."

"**Byakugan!!!"** Vein's broke out around his eyelids and filled his eyes with power.

Immediately Neji noticed a single strand of sand dance before his face. The trail of the spiraling sand led right back to Gaara's gourd.

"Neji, is it?" Gaara didn't look his way, but appeared to be focused on nothing. "I suggest you mind whom you set those 'White Eyes' on."

The young jounin had found himself being more protective of his loved ones day-by-day... One had to wonder if Gaara knew how much he had in common with Neji in that respect. But what Gaara did know was that Neji had his eyes on him ever since the first chuunin exams. Perhaps they would both see if there was anything of substance behind those eyes.

"Wait a second now." Kankuro spoke through his smile, still amused by all this. "Remember... Sand and Leaf are allies now. If any of the Konoha officials catch us tearing each other apart in the middle of the street, it will spell trouble for all of us. So, yeah, let's be reeeaallll friendly-like. ... Not to mention that this weather is a bitch. Certainly not ideal for a little exhibition. Lets get outta here."

Temari slowly placed her fan back between her sash behind her back, and Gaara's stream of sand returned to its place within the gourd. Kankuro had an excellent point.

"Besides." Kankuro's smile morphed into disgust as he scoffed at Neji's Byakugan. "If it wasn't for our rescuing them, half of these pieces of trash wouldn't be alive. We would be undoing our own handy-work if we were to accidentally kill them."

"Hmph. If you guys still feel a bit 'hot' about our little encounter today... know that we will be back." Temari turned to Tenten once more, who seemed to be completely somewhere else mentally. "Silly genin girl."

The sand team made its way down the road, and began jumping from rooftop-to-rooftop in order to speed up their departure.

The two shinobi felt like any responsible fighter would feel when a battle was suddenly canceled. They were relieved, and yet at the same time disappointed. Neji abated the chakra flow to his eyes.

"Thank you..." Tenten finally spoke again.

"Everything I said to her was true. You have no need to thank me."

Butterflies beat against her inwards, and tickled her mercilessly.

"I wonder what they were doing in the Academy in the first place..." Neji was luckily looking at the school's steps and didn't notice Tenten struggling not to look too happy about his words. She gained her composure.

"Let's not let them ruin this for us!"

"Hmmm"

"Let's go. My house isn't too far from here."

The pair walked on in a kind of silence that was acceptable but still somewhat unwanted. This whole "walking date" wasn't as awkward as Tenten anticipated it would be. By the time they met up with the Sand Siblings, they already made a little conversation. Who is getting stronger, this technique is being perfected, the next Chuunin Exams, the basic things that one would expect of Neji. This made the silence acceptable, because they were only silent because they seemingly ran out of things to say. However, Tenten still wanted to say so much more... this was the "unwanted" part of the silence.

Tenten looked over at the marketplace stands and the chickens running about the dusty roads for some clue as to what to say to him.

"_Damn! I'm almost home! Okay, got to think... I could always... no, that wouldn't work... But maybe? No, it's too straightforward... Ah, what the hell?_"

"Have you figured out what "this" is yet?" She smiled, walking with her hands cupped together behind her back.

"Hmm?"

"You said earlier you came with me because you were curious as to what all this was about.. Well..." She could swear that something else was speaking through her at this point. Something "stronger" then herself. Tenten could have sworn she even batted her eyes at him, but that was impossible.

"What do you think?"

If she did; in fact, bat her eyes, Neji must have missed it.

"... I still don't get it." Neji admitted before smirking. "Why don't you just tell me?"

That thing inside of Tenten that rose up was suddenly shot down. Somehow she was totally unprepared for Neji to ask that. There was no lie good enough to give him, and even if there was Tenten wasn't good enough at lying to present it to him right. Her eyes assumed its usual position toward the ground as she moved on. She spoke with just a trace of an attitude once more, not liking that all her secret feelings were being grinded out of her since yesterday.

"I... I.. I wanted to get to know you better."

"Get to know me better?" As Tenten moved from embarrassment to embarrassment, Neji was being moved from confusion to confusion. He didn't even know different kind of confusions even existed. "You know everything there is to know about me."

"Neji... All I know about you is what I see out on missions or in training..."

"Exactly."

Tenten looked over at her teammate, awaiting him to explain himself. He wanted to leave it at that, but expounded his words in the spirit of a narrator.

"Along time ago, I thought that I was the greatest ninja Konoha had ever seen because of my own natural ability. I was a genius. I am a genius... But, thanks to the insight of a few comrades, I have come to learn that my natural gifts can only take me so far..." somehow, as he spoke these words to her, he knew that he might be answering some things for her that he didn't even intend to answer. Neji closed his eyes. "...Tenten... a person can never truly master anything until he gives himself wholly over to that 'thing'. This is why I train even more then I used to train back when I thought I was the greatest by fate. That is what our sensei is always trying to tell us. Hard work... I will perfect being a shinobi by always going a step further then anyone else is willing to go. I must become the greatest ninja I can be. I do this not only for myself, but also for Konoha... for my comrades. Do you understand?"

Tenten nodded, her soul lost somewhere in his profession.

"That is how you already know everything about me simply by training with me everyday. Its because there is nothing else for you to know. I am a ninja. Nothing more... and I cannot entertain any distractions that seek to take me away from being a ninja."

... It seemed as though all of the village marketplace had been drawn into Neji's speech, and that Tenten was the one tasked with drawing it out by answering that speech. The kunoichi's mouth was at a drought for words. She couldn't think of anything else to say. He had basically told her that he had no time in his life for anything, including her... The message was delivered so eloquently and precisely that Tenten didn't even feel her heart being sliced in two from it. She was "intellectually dumped" by Neji...

"With all due respect, Neji... you are wrong."

Neji stopped dead in his tracks. "What?"

Tenten stopped walking as well. Of course, now Tenten didn't have a thing to lose. The walking date, in its current state, was already ruined. She grew confident, and suspected that the thing that was stronger then herself was about ready to do the talking.

"Yes, I understand that it takes time, hard work, and even giving up some things to become a great shinobi. I am a train-a-holic just like you, so I understand that sacrifices must be made. However, you are wrong to say you are "nothing but a ninja".

Neji remained silent and stunned.

"If all you do is train... if all you do is focus on the mission at hand... if nothing else matters to you in life, then you will become "unfamiliar" with the very things you seek to protect as a ninja.

Konoha, your family, your friends, your comrades will become second to your devotion to becoming stronger. Then, as time moves along, those things won't even matter to you anymore. You will become numb to your family, your friends, your loved ones, your feelings... and you will spend the rest of your life never enjoying the things that you seek to preserve in the first place."

"I am not asking you to lose an ounce of devotion to becoming the best you can be, Neji. I am only asking that you enjoy yourself while you're doing it... Enjoy yourself while you're with me."

"_NO, you fool! You should have scratched that last part out! ARRGHH!!!"_

Neji had a look on his face like a block of lead had been dropped on his chest... or rather, like a block of lead had been taken off his chest. Either way, his expression was one of a completely new emotion. Neji's eyes may not be able to "see everything" like Tenten imagined they could, but the reason why she asked her to walk with him was suddenly clear as crystal. He could see that despite his new change in attitude, he might still have missed something... he might have missed...

"Tenten..."

"...Yeah..."

"Do you have to go straight home?"

Tenten looked puzzled. "Ummm, I'm not on curfew, or anything."

"Tell me about yourself... Show me what you do besides training."

Neji had allowed a new smile to appear on his face. There are no words to describe how excited, nervous, and overwhelmed with joy Tenten was at that moment. She was practically drooling. Of course, timidity answered this time.

"Ummmm... well, I like to..."

-----------------------------------------

"Come on! I'm begging you!"

"Nope."

"I mean, just 2 weeks!"

"Not gonna happen."

Ino dropped her head, and lifted it up with a new proposition. "Okay. Only 1 week eating only fresh fruits and steamed vegetables. Can you give me that much?"

"Sorry."

Ino released a sigh of regret. "I guess I'll never get to see the lean, sexy Chouji again..."

"I guess you won't." Chouji spoke with his arms crossed. "Your stuck with the 'large and in charge' Chouji!"

Ino laughed and jumped off of the glass counter where she decided to perch. She walked directly in front of Chouji with the same "googly" eyes as before.

"I can live with that."

Now this was just too much. Chouji was sure he would hear the news that hell has frozen over as Ino's soft, thin lips pressed gently against his plump cheek... maybe he would consider a diet after all. Ino giggled again as she watched her teammates face cycle through many interesting colors.

"Alright big guy, I have a business to run." She began to push him backward with her hand on his chest. "So, if you don't mind, please get out of my store!"

Chouji was still off somewhere in a magical land when Ino began playfully forcing him out. He snapped out of it. "Fine, fine. Supper should be ready right now at my house anyway... Later!"

"Bye!"

**"Hiya, Sakura!"**

**"Hey, Chouji! Is she in there?"**

**"Yep."**

Ino lifted up a vase of water and poured it carefully into a pot of dandelions as she awaited the door bell's ring. The bell sounded as she expected, her best friend being the one to set it off.

"Hey forehead." Ino smiled without looking at her and sat back down at the counter.

"You know, you have been a hard person to get a hold of recently." Sakura grinned and raised an eyebrow. "Just what have you been doing all day, Ino-pig?"

Sakura pressed her hands against the glass counter.

"Hmmm..." Ino was looking for the right way to word it, but it seemed the simplest way was the right way. "Just hanging with a friend."

"A friend, eh?" Sakura laughed. "I can recall you calling Chouji a number of things, but a 'friend' was never one of them."

"OHMYGOD, SAKURA YOUR NOSE!!!" Ino jumped out of her seat and pointed to Sakura's upper lip like she found gold.

Sakura managed to keep the thick, blackened blood from hitting the wooden floor of the flower shop by holding her hands just below her leaking nose.

"Damn! So it didn't work... I am SO sorry, Ino it's... ah, ah, ah... **ACHOO!!!**"

Splats of black blood, snot, and bits of what felt like tiny bones splattered against Ino's face. The blonde kunoichi became a vegetable for a few seconds, able only to twitch her right eye. And then the reality of this disgusting situation made her cringe uncontrollably.

"Eww... Ewwwwwww!!!! **EW EW EWWWWWW WHAT THE HELL, SAKURA!!! ARE YOU DYING OR SOMETHING!?!?!**

Sakura was still containing the flow of blood that she didn't sneeze all over Ino and the counter with her hands. She laughed nervously.

"Heh heh... I'll explain in a moment... but do you have a wet cloth around here by any chance?

Ino managed to feel comfortable in her own skin again after washing her face several times. She continued to clean up the blood that decorated the counter as Sakura forced the edge of a soaking rag up her right nostril. She wanted to put pressure on the bridge of her nose to stop the bleeding, but it was too painful to touch.

"...Are you going to explain to me what the hell is going on?"

Ino was more then a little steamed at the moment. Not only had she just experienced the ultimate "gross out" moment of her life, but she was worried sick about Sakura right now. Sakura sighed apologetically.

"It's really no big deal... I broke my nose training with the Hokage-sama yesterday."

"Oh, I see..." Ino threw the bloody cloth into a bucket of water as she wiped away the last blob of mucus on the counter. "So the 5th broke your nose accidentally?"

"No... it was no accident. She purposely shattered every bone in my nose with one punch." Sakura grinned warmly.

**"WHAATTT??!?!!!? " **Ino almost fell backward. **" W-W-WHY ON EARTH WOULD SHE DO THAT!??!?"**

"Oh, she has bruised and broken parts of my body many times."

Ino had practically fainted on her feet as she stood there with a fevered expression.

"It's part of my training. I dodge Tsunade-sama's vicious punches and kicks until she eventually hits me. I am then responsible for healing any wounds inflicted on my body all by myself." Ino was beginning to get some color back in her skin from the explanation, but still didn't like the idea. "Yesterday she told me she went for my nose because it is difficult to properly heal the tiny bones and cartilage. It was sort of her challenge to me. I thought I did a good job for the most part, but it seems that I must have been off somewhere."

"Wow. Your training is much more intense then I could've imagined."

"Believe me... you can't imagine it." Sakura's experiences were plainly illustrated by the strain in her voice should the tar dripping from her nose not be enough to convince. "A direct hit from the Hokage can't be 'imagined'."

"Awww... tough break, Sakura."

"Oh, don't feel sorry for me!" Sakura perked up. "I am learning so much under this training! I'm getting so much stronger..."

And then it happened. Her talk of her new training had brought her mind to that place... It always happened this way with Sakura, and yet she never seemed to try to avoid it. It was as though she was addicted to the memory... addicted to the pain of the memory. Perhaps she was subconsciously forcing herself back to that place, basking in the sorrow of it so that she could keep clear view as to why she was training so hard in the first place. It had to be a subconscious action. No one would willingly put themselves through such harsh memories. Ino had been down this road with Sakura many times... she was very familiar with this place.

"... Is there any new information about where he might be?" Ino spoke slightly to the side of Sakura's eyes.

It only took Sakura a second to answer by shaking her head, but the meaning of that answer seemed everlasting to both of them. The pink-haired genin stared into the wet rag before her face with weariness.

Ino had tried in the past to change the subject in situations like this, but to no avail. All she knew to do to make the situation more comfortable for the both of them was to encourage her.

"Sakura... you have to know that we will find him soon. It won't always be this way. I know that you and Naruto will bring him back." Ino made sure to look as though she had actually encouraged herself in her own pep talk, and she prayed some of it would rub off on her miserable friend. "I rest assured that I will see Sasuke-kun walking the streets of Konoha again this time next year! I can rest assured because I believe in you and Naruto. Do you believe in Naruto? Do you believe in yourself?"

"...Yes" Sakura's emerald eyes didn't lose a bit of weariness, but she did at least lift her head up. "Yes... you are right!"

"Of course I am!" Ino professed a-matter-of-factly.

"Ino."

"Yeah, forehead?"

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it... but don't forget what I said."

Sakura nodded, finally doing away with those weary eyes.

"Anyway, I should get going. I have to work on healing my nose properly before I meet the 5th today. She won't be happy if she sees it like this. I'll need to borrow your rag!"

"Kay, but you better bring it back completely washed!"

Sakura turned to leave the flower shop, but quickly turned back around for a few final points. "Oh... and don't think I forgot about you and Chouji!"

Ino cleared her throat and blushed a bit.

"You and I are going to have a nice little chat about what's been going on with you two." Sakura winked. "Bye for now."

"See ya."

The moment Sakura had walked off into the setting sun completely out of view is when Ino allowed her own little memories to surface. She slumped down a bit in her chair, and looked longingly at a lone tulip on the counter.

"...Sasuke-kun..."


	6. Chapter 6

They had done it. Though many questioned if it could even be done, they had all done it. The people of the Village Hidden in Leaves absolutely triumphed over the sun's hellish fury! It had been a long battle, but in the end the spirit of the people would not be scorched. The morning star, in utter defeat, turned its wrath from the land and sunk down into the west side of Konoha. The day was just about over.

In the sun's wake was left a sudden impartment of crisp cool air and an enflamed sunset of many colors. The amazing thing about a sunset is that no matter how many times you see it, it always appears to be completely different each day. The positioning of the clouds, the different patterns and hues of orange's and purple's, the occasional distant lone star that appears while the sun is still raising hell in the blue sky... a sunset is consistent in its inconsistencies. On this Tuesday evening, the sunset decided to appear as an azure blue curtain with yellow, orange and red hems. And how well did the cool azure fit with the cool air in the atmosphere! The people of Konoha stood outside their homes with open arms to the breeze like they were embracing a lover returning from a long trip. Even as all it takes is one kiss from the departed lover to do away with all the hard nights spent alone since then, all it took was one sweeping breeze to refresh all of Fire Country. It was as though the heat wave never happened.

"MMMMM.." One would think that Tenten had just indulged herself in a chocolate cake. "Doesn't this feel great?"

Her syrup-brown bangs swayed wildly in the incredible breeze that caressed her skin and comforted her open pores. From Neji's view on the stone bench from behind it looked as though the wind would carry her away, as the air infiltrated and inflated her pink vest and forest-green pants. The water of the small fish pond before the both of them rippled serenely, gently brushing up against the fence of grey stones that surrounded it. The two had decided to have a seat (or at least Neji decided to have a seat) at the modest enclosure where the elderly of Leaf village often spend their days. It was way too small and enclosed to be called a park, as it was claustrophobically couched between a large antique shop and a textile factory. It was basically a few stone benches, a radius of overgrown grass, and the fish pond. Though this place was probably uninhabitable when the noise-blasting textile factory machines were in operation, at the moment this would be a perfect spot for reflection... maybe even a place Neji would consider meditating some day. But for now...

"Don't change the subject". Neji's long black hair glided in the azure breeze, the string at the ends being the only thing keeping it from running rampant around his face. His eyebrows were slanted, his lips curved in a grin. The breeze was indeed majestic, but he wouldn't be so easily led astray.

"Huh?" Tenten swung back around to him, the wind causing the tips of her bangs to point at her teammate.

"And don't play dumb." the flat disposition had made a triumphant return, albeit with a different purpose. "I asked you to tell me about yourself, you told me that you have been taking dancing and ballet lessons since you were 6, and I asked you to show me."

Tenten let out an uncomfortable high-pitched laugh that might have cracked the wind if it were possible. "Oh, I completely forgot!!!!"

"Well?"

"Ummm..." Of course, there was no way she was going to dance in front of Neji. Not now. Even that confidence that was propelling her forward probably wouldn't be able to shake Tenten's resolve when it came to this. "I-I'm not really... prepared for it right now."

"Oh really? Because your clothing was designed for complex body movements like dancing."

"I-I know, but the wind..."

"The wind isn't strong enough to throw off your balance."

"Yeah, but... I mean... were right out in the open..."

"No one is watching but me."

_"Exactly my problem"_ thought Tenten.

"I..." despite the cool of the evening, Tenten was beginning to sweat.

Neji knew it was a little mean to put her through this, especially now that he realized she had feelings for him. But it was oddly satisfying... his conscience got the better of him though, and he repented within himself for doing it... He would have loved to see her dance, however.

"Don't worry. I don't have to see you dance."

"Wait."

Tenten closed her eyes as that something stronger then herself she needed seemed to be trying to come out. However, insecurity forced it down with all it's might. The inward struggle manifested itself outwardly with Tenten looking as though she was beginning a dancing motion; only to disrupt herself, throw up her hands in front of Neji and exclaim 'wait! I'll try that again! 'She did this about 5 times in the midst of the roaring wind. Neji watched on with a wad of sweat rolling down his neck.

"Tenten, it's really okay. You don't have to do this."

The kunoichi was really pissed off with herself right now. The inner battle had left her immobilized and looking foolish in front of Neji. The really frustrating thought was that she didn't know which side she wanted to win more, "the something stronger or the insecurity"... Well, she wasn't going to let it end like this. She decided to make an agreement with the "coward" and the "warrior" within her. She opened her eyes and spoke.

"Tell you what..." The azure wind forced her steps to be quicker as she made her way to the bench where Neji sat with open ears. "I promise that I will dance for you someday... but just not today."

Tenten gave him a full smile with "double-cheese" and a sparkle in her eyes.

"Hm. Then I will hold you to that promise." Neji smiled. "And I will be looking forward to it."

'Timidity' giggled, and drove Tenten's eyes toward the ground. The azure wind, which was whistling loudly through Konoha for quite some time, had seemed to quiet down.

"Okay... is there anything else about you that I don't know?"

Though Tenten dug deeply into her mind to find an answer to the question, she couldn't find any... it seemed that she spent more time training and on missions then she realized. Hmmm...

"Well... I do practice fortune-telling every now and then."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's a family thing. All of my ancestors were really into it. My mom is sort of into it too, but my dad hated it." She raised her eyes. "He hated the idea of his life being dictated by coins and stars and such."

"Your father was a wise man." Neji spoke immediately. "I think the same thing."

"I'm still not too sure myself... About what is destined and what isn't. And my fortune-telling seems to be 'hit and miss', so I am even less sure."

"We all decide our own fate... Our own choices brought us to where we are now, not destiny."

Neji didn't waver for a moment. That certainty, that 'driven attitude'... although it was at one point tainted by bitterness, it was now pure... That certainty... it really turned Tenten on.

"You sound pretty sure of yourself, eh?" Tenten words came out surprisingly suggestive.

"I am more sure of it then I am sure of the ground I stand on." And he was. His encounter with a certain blonde fox-boy made a fervent believer out of him.

"Hmmm.. Then you wouldn't mind putting that certainty to test?"

"What?"

"Give me your hand, Neji.." there went that suggestive tone again.

"Why?"

"I want to read your palm."

"Absolutely out of the question." Neji, however, wasn't one to be suggested to.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't waste my time entertaining foolishness."

A serpent wouldn't even lay claim to the grin Tenten had on her face. It would appear that the "warrior" had taken the reins.

"You sure you're not just scared?"

"I am not scared of a thing. It's just pointless."

"Come on!" Tenten whined.

"No!"

"Your no fun."

It appeared that Tenten was now the one who was cruelly playing with Neji. The Hyuuga didn't say a word, but simply turned his head. Tenten didn't know what had gotten into her, but she wasn't about to let it get out of her. At least not yet. She honestly wanted to read his palm just to confirm in herself if "fate" is indeed in control. She thought for a moment, placed her mouth close to Neji's turned head, and spoke toward his ear.

"Okay, how about this... I'll read your palm, but won't tell you what I think it means. That way you won't have to worry about my words deciding your 'path' for you."

"... Then what is the point?"

"My own personal satisfaction." Tenten answered. "Please don't say no."

Neji sighed deeply and began to unravel his left hand bandages.

"Thank you!"

"Let's make this quick." He stuck out his unwrapped, cream-colored palm to his teammate.

Tenten delicately took hold of Neji's left wrist with her right hand, and looked at his palm with bewilderment.

"What's wrong?" Neji asked.

"...I don't even think I CAN read your palm, Neji." Tenten admitted. "Your heart line, head line and life line... all the lines of your palm are smoothed into your skin... like they've been filed down by something."

"Hmmm... never noticed it. I almost never take off my bandages." Neji thought for a moment. "It likely comes from me constantly using jyuuken techniques. Though it isn't necessarily burning hot, pure chakra is much like liquid fire... It's possible that me emitting chakra into my palms for years has taken its toll."

Tenten listened to Neji, but didn't say a word. Her eyes and mind were focused on this strange sight. She began running her fingers over his palm to see if she could read it anyway... and that's when she felt what Neji was attempting to describe. Liquid fire. Tenten felt her head spinning as the stream of Neji's warmth made love to the tips of her fingers. The stream soon gently penetrated through and shot up into the nerve endings of her hands. Soon, this indescribable fire had engulfed her whole body. It was like being submerged in the greatest hot spring in the world. Something completely heavenly. It was delicious. She took another dip in the hot spring, running her fingers over his palms again. And again. And again. And again. Neji was getting a little concerned. He had never seen Tenten's eyes so wide and... wild. He was sure it didn't take this long to read a palm. It wasn't until Tenten attempted to stifle a sharp gasp that Neji decided to speak.

"Tenten?"

"Neji.." her voice almost quivered. "Your hands... t-there so warm!"

"I told you." Neji said plainly. "It must be the after-effects of the jyuuken. I wouldn't be surprised if every Hyuuga that practices the jyuuken style extensively has similar problems."

Tenten laughed in her mind as Neji called it a 'problem'. Her eyes narrowed as she moved about her thumb over Neji's groove-less palm.

"You're going to make one lucky women very happy with these hands."

Neji simultaneously blushed and pulled his hand away from the treacherous woman's clutches. Betrayal plagued his tone. "You JUST SAID you wouldn't tell me what you predicted."

The Hyuuga found himself powerless to keep Tenten from passing the invisible barrier he set up, and gracefully taking back the hand he snatched away. It must have been the unfamiliar look on her face that petrified him.

"I didn't get that from reading your palm..." she almost spoke in a whisper.

"...Oh. I see."

Neji got the flirtatious joke, but still didn't get the look on her face. He has seen her "cheesy face" where she displayed her teeth with a smile, and squinted her eyes in joy. He has seen her "fighting face" with the sadistic smile and hazel eyes filled with violence. However... not only had he never seen the face, but he was not familiar with the emotion behind the face. He was not familiar at all with Tenten's "seductive face".

Tenten had narrowed her eyes to the point of them being sharp as a kunai. She did this to pierce straight through Neji's defenses and attack his heart. She succeeded.

Her lips were wickedly curved upward, and her front teeth were slightly exposed from an opening in her tight lips. This was to give Neji the impression that she was hungry for something that was not exactly food. She succeeded.

While all this was happening, she began to massage the tips of her fingers against his palms once more. Her index finger circled around the center area of his palm. She then made her ring finger dance about the smoothed-out lines of his hand. She continued to pierce him with her eyes. She did this to make it perfectly clear to Neji that she wasn't at all interested in predicting his future anymore. She succeeded.

Tenten had just got straight A's in "Seduction 101".

The azure winds ceased… as did their words.

A deep and powerful force that Neji had never felt had taken hold of his heart, and seemed to descend and ascend into different directions of his body from there. He was now the one left sweating and looking away. Well, that iron disposition of his wouldn't let him turn completely away, but he was avoiding direct eye contact. His face began to shine a very-light red, and he couldn't say a word. He almost wanted her to stop, but wished that that this moment would never end. He had never been more uncomfortable in his life, but wouldn't rather be anywhere else. This lustful force that was invading him was called "desire", and this was his first time ever feeling it for a woman. His huge eyes eventually narrowed as he finally decided to let Tenten fan the flames. He did nothing to propel her, but certainly had no plans of doing anything to stop her. The genius of Konoha was officially seduced. He only hoped that no one they knew would see them doing this.

The azure wind took hold of the atmosphere once more, and breathed upon Konoha. There in the midst of the azure wind were two warriors, indulging themselves in passions they didn't even realize they had, stirring up sensations that were alien to them. With something as simple and insignificant as playing with their hands Neji and Tenten were 'discovering themselves'. The enflamed kunoichi still couldn't believe she was capable of doing all this, but didn't give a damn anymore. The liquid fire... the fact that she was with the boy of her dreams... the fact that she was pleasing the boy of her dreams was almost too much to take. She began breathing heavily in exhilaration. She realized she was doing something that she considered to be 'lewd' and getting away with it. This thought got her that much more excited.

Neji, on the other hand, was getting excited watching her get excited. Dried sweat from the heat wave clave to her skin and made it glow in the twilight. Her small mouth gaped open ever so slightly, giving him a peep of her moist tongue every now and then. Her eyes were ravenous. Though she tried to silence them, high-pitched gasps seeped from her mouth every time she exhaled. Her breasts which Neji noticed had gotten much bigger since last year, perked up and down with the rhythm of her deep breathing patterns. And those eyes... so ravenous were they that he had to take note of them twice. The 15 year old shinobi never noticed or cared before, but Tenten was hot. REALLY hot. Between what he saw and what he felt from her "massage", he wasn't doing much better then her in containing himself. It was just that his excitement was showing itself in a different way... he was very thankful that the fabric of his shorts were heavy enough to keep his 'excitement' down.

Tenten positioned her right palm so that each finger was pressed firmly against his left palm. Both of them allowed their fingers to link together and cover the others knuckles, as though they were holding hands.

"...Neji..." the whisper was more of a call of distress then anything else. There was a fire raging inside of Tenten, and she was calling out for her comrade to put it out.

Neji was no expert 'firefighter' in the least sense, but he had a basic understanding of dating protocol. He began to move his tilted head toward Tenten's lips. Tenten tilted hers the opposite way, and moved forward as well. The azure wind seemed to howl loudly across the sky as they both narrowed their eyes further. Neji could feel Tenten's breath embrace his own lips when she suddenly hesitated. She moved her face back a few inches, and loosened up her lips. 'Timidity' had an objection, and refused to hold its peace. The Hyuuga immediately caressed the side of her face with his free hand.

"What's wrong?"

"...Nothing"

Tenten grabbed the boy's hand with her own free hand, and attempted the kiss the second time. She moved in a lot quick this time around... but it wasn't quick enough for the SPEED OF YOUTH!

Tenten's eyes widened and twitched as she planted her lips on a golden-tan nose! She looked forward in horror as Neji had done the same thing! The two were frozen in their shock. The strong, youthful voice of the golden-tan nose is what snapped them out of it.

"And what are my pupils doing on this fine Tuseday Evening??"

"**GAI SENSEI!!!!** They screamed in unison. Both of them practically fell out of the stone bench.


	7. Chapter 7

As they jumped back, they saw the green spandex and the fish-bowl haircut.. and a ridiculous, solemn expression on his face. They knew what was coming already.

"Hehehehe... Neji... Tenten... from what I just saw... it would appear..."

And here it comes. Literal flames suddenly appeared in Gai's eyes as he opened them and lifted up one fist to the sky with great zeal.

"THE FLAMES OF YOUTH BBBBBUUUURRRNNNNN WITHIN YOUR LOINS!!!!"

"N-n-no they don't! What are you talking about?!" Tenten laughed nervously while shaking her head.

Neji simply stared motionless with bug eyes and his jaw on the floor.

Before she realized it, Gai's cheesy smile was in her face.

"Do not be ashamed of those flames, Tenten! Do not be ashamed of those raging hormones!!!! For they are but the fruits of a flower in the SPRING TIME OF YOUTH!"

This time, Tenten did fall off the bench. She rolled off from the side, and hurt her head.

"ARRHH, You idiot! Why do you have to yell such embarrassing things!" Tenten jumped to her feet and screamed at her sensei while holding her head in pain. "Where did you come from anyway?!?!"

"YOSH! Me and Lee were just taking our usual evening jog when I saw you giving Neji a... hmmm?" Gai thought for a moment on the word for what she was doing. He remembered it! "Aha! When I saw you giving Neji a 'hand job'!!!"

Tenten's entire body turned white in utter disbelief. Of course, Gai had no idea what he just accused Tenten of doing to Neji.

"GAI SENSEI!!!" A screeching voice called out from the distance. A boy with thick eyebrows and a goofy look of determination could be seen jogging into the small enclosure. "Ah! There you are!"

Lee looked over at his two petrified teammates for a moment... before leaping into the air, flipping forward a few times, and landing on his feet with both of his thumbs up.

"SUPER DOUBLE NICE GUY POSE FOR MY SUPER TEAMMATES, NEJI AND TENTEN-CHAN!!!"

Neji had finally awoken from his catatonic state, spitting profusely and wiping his lips after kissing Gai on the nose. He paid no attention to Lee's entrance.

"I heard something about a hand job! Who gave who a hand job?!?" Lee questioned, of course not understanding what he was saying either.

"Tenten gave Neji a hand job!" Gai answered his pupil. Neji fell off of the bench immediately. "But keep it to yourself, Lee! We must respect the fact that they do not want to speak of the flames of youth openly!"

"Hai, Gai sensei!" Lee spoke with a soldier's loyalty.

Neji arose with a knot on one side of his head, and a vein on the other.

"Idiot. She did NOT give me a hand job!"

"Its so sad, Gai Sensei!" Lee sounded generally sympathetic. "Why do they deny the flames of youth?"

"It's unfortunate, Lee..." Gai put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "But not everyone will think like us."

"Thankfully so." Neji mocked.

"SOOO COLD!" A deluge of tears gushed down the sides of Lee's face. Neji sighed.

"I think we'll leave now." Neji grabbed the frozen-white body of Tenten like it was a piece of cardboard.

"One more thing, Neji..." The genin stopped to hear his sensei out, being able to discern when he was getting ready to say something of importance. "Do not move too fast with her. You are both new to this... The flames of youth can consume you if you're not in control of them."

Gai sensei gave him a "Nice Guy Pose of wisdom". Neji then continued to walk on with Tenten. As foolish as it seemed, Gai sensei's words made perfect sense to Neji, and he knew he was right. They were moving awfully fast. There was something Neji had to do before... whatever he and Tenten had, could go any further. He walked out of Gai and Lee's sight.

"Gai Sensei." Lee spoke when they left. "Did Neji and Tenten-chan seem different to you?"

Gai smirked. By the time Lee had got there, the 'kiss scene' was over.

"Lee... Neji and Tenten are truly in the 'Spring Time of Youth', but in a way you are possibly unfamiliar with."

Lee naturally took a seat on the stone bench to hear the words of his sensei. He stared up at him like a baby eagle ready to be fed by its parent.

"You are all at an age where you go through changes... all kinds of new plants and flowers will bloom in your life. These plants and flowers are your desires, emotions, feelings, motivations... All new ones will spring forth in the spring time of your youth. Don't be surprised if you see more of your friends acting differently as well." Lee continued to listen, his eyes wide with attentiveness. "This goes beyond training and beyond your duties as a shinobi, so it might be difficult for me to coach you through it. So when it does happen, and you go through many strange and awkward changes, know that it is only a season. Know that it will eventually end."

"Hai sensei!" Lee was actually crying again from the speech. "So, Neji and Tenten-chan are... dating?"

"It seems so."

Lee's jaw hit the floor, and he stared dumb-founded at his sensei.

"No time to be shocked now, Lee!" Gai began jogging in place. "We allowed ourselves to get side-tracked, so were going to jog around Konoha 300 more times to punish ourselves!"

"Hai sensei!"

Again, the two of them were left walking in silence. Tenten had finally gotten over Gai's accusing her of giving Neji a "hand job", and didn't need to be carried by Neji anymore. She had long departed from the shame of her sensei's awkward intrusion. She was more ashamed of her behavior with Neji's palm... Actually, she wasn't ashamed of what she had done as much as she was ashamed of what was working through her when she did it. She had figured it out. It wasn't 'something stronger then herself'. It wasn't a 'warrior'. It was the 'enchantress' in her! The entire time, she was acting just like her mom! The suggestive tone, the lustful looks. Ugh. It was a scary thing for her to cope with, but she was becoming just like her mom. Despite her mother's words, Tenten was still worried that she came off "cheap" to Neji because of this. She would rather remain quiet then say something that would lessen her in his sight any further.

Though he wasn't sitting down with his eyes closed, Neji was in a semi-meditative state as he walked with his 'date'. He was taken in deep thought of the events of the past few hours that were hurling them both into an unexpected future. Now that the passion had all but been snuffed out, Neji was examining the situation with his 'larger head'. He was aware that their feelings for each other might complicate many elements of their lives as ninja. He was aware it would be pretty hard to focus on getting a mission done when he had to worry about Tenten's welfare. Of course, he worried about Tenten's welfare as a 'comrade' ever since they were assigned teams... But that was when she was just a 'comrade'. Now, she was a 'girlfriend'. A comrade could take care of themselves to a certain extent. A comrade came into a mission knowing the risks. A comrade was an important part of any ninja's life, but one could take great honor in the death of a comrade during the mission since he/she would die as a shinobi. A girlfriend is completely different. A girlfriend can never be seen as 'able to take care of themselves' out on the battlefield. Suddenly, every moment that one is away from the girlfriend is another nightmarish thought of the girlfriend walking into an enemy trap and being ripped to shreds by a barrage of shiruken. Although a girlfriend knows the risks, no one could ever understand what it would mean to the ninja if anything happened to the girlfriend. Therefore, they could never understand why the ninja refuses to separate from the girlfriend, even if it is detrimental to the mission. Although a comrade is important to any ninja's life, a girlfriend IS the ninja's life. There was no honor in the death of a girlfriend... only sorrow and grief unbearable, because a piece of the ninja dies with that girlfriend.

Although they hadn't even kissed yet, Neji knew that he could never again look at Tenten as a 'comrade'. He realized her feelings for him went deeper then admiration. As far as he was concerned, Tenten became a girlfriend when she woke him up to the idea of enjoying himself as he sought perfection as a ninja. Even now, as he stole a glance or two from her as they walked, he could feel something in him tensing up. He could feel the impression that she had left on his heart... Nothing was the same.

_"Great... you just had to let her read your palm, didn't you?"_

Neji didn't even have time to answer his own question when the next round of thoughts shot into mind. He remembered Gai's words... What if his sensei wasn't there to interrupt and he did complete that kiss? The way he was feeling at that moment, the idea of the night ending with just that kiss was doubtful. How far would they have taken it? It was never good to have as little control as Neji felt he had over himself right now. AND THEN there was the other issue... would "he" even approve of it?

"Neji!" The Hyuuga was suddenly ripped from the land of Second-Thoughts and Indecision, and pulled back to reality.

Of course, one outside of Neji's mind would think he just didn't hear the first call of his name. The transition from mental realm to the natural realm becomes second nature with extensive meditation. Tenten realized she had gotten his attention.

"Yeah, so... umm... this is my house!" Tenten rocked back and forth from the base of her feet to the tips of her toes with her hands behind her back. She spoke with a hint of laughter, attempting to find humor in the oddities of the day.

He had never seen his teammate's modest, 1-story home until today. He never had to. Whenever they had to meet up, she would come to him. The night lanterns were now being lit by the jounin about the neighborhood as the sun had finally run off for good. Neji stood before Tenten as she was bathed in a hue of burning orange from the surrounding flames. After rocking back and forth for a while, and not receiving a word from Neji, Tenten stopped and stared down at her feet. She then stared at Neji again. Surprisingly he was looking at her feet as well.

Tenten slowly moved closer to her magician, finding him to look that much more mystical with the light of the lanterns covering his rich-white skin... His skin wasn't a pale, pasty white that belonged to those who receive no sunlight. Rather, it was a creamy, angelic white... the kunoichi had an un-confessed theory that Neji was too cute to be human.

They both stood waiting, trapped in the quiet of the night.

"You have a nice house."

"You know what's funny?"

The two attempted to break the silence at the same time. Tenten's 'silence breaker' was more interesting then his, so Neji decided to go along with hers.

"What's funny?"

Tenten studied the palms of her own hands. She studied her nails. Her palms were clammy and callous, and her nails were bare and filed down to a level unheard of among most women.

"You spend years training and your hands become more perfect then they already are... I spend years training and my hands become rough and ugly."

There was no rhyme or reason behind the observation other then an excuse to stand before the Hyuuga a bit longer. But something happened as Tenten caused Neji to look at her palms... he looked past her palms, and saw her for the first time. He saw her body for the first time. She was built very different from the other girls of Fire Country. The usual build of Leaf Village girls were large thighs, slender waist, and a reasonable bust line. Neji re-called that physique on Ino, Sakura, and to a lesser extent his cousin Hinata. They were built like jungle cats, which was very attractive in its own right. However, Tenten's body was totally unique.

She had well-toned thighs, a narrow waist, a flat stomach, slender shoulders, and a long elegant neck that must have been robbed from the doves that he spent many days counting. Her body was completely lithe all the way through. Though her breast did protrude outward it somehow did not disrupt her stream-lined design. She wasn't starved, but she was certainly leaner and in better physical condition then any other kunoichi he knew. Neji noted how she moved about the battlefield with such grace and seamless agility. While Sakura and Ino were jungle cats, Tenten was built like a snake. A snake uses a vast amount of muscles to move around with dance-like rhythm and can strike with speed, accuracy, and a prowess foreign to a jungle cat. Her mouth was simple, small, and full of beautiful milk-white teeth. The way she wore her hair displayed her personality. Simple, yet so very different. It was a style thrown together quickly before fights so that her hair would not get in the way, and yet it STILL managed to look much better to Neji then the hair of those other girls who actually spend hours in bathrooms. Her skin was the color of honey... Her eyes... anger, sadness, shame, happiness, seduction; no matter what emotion is being displayed Tenten's eyes always seem to be "about something". Her electric-brown eyes always carried substance. They were always driven to a certain destination. They were never full of vanity and idleness like the other girls of Fire Country. And what was most apparent was that Tenten's beauty was indestructible. Because she used very little prep work to look that good, it was impossible for her to ever look any worse. She had no "make-up" on her face to mess up while she was fighting. It was amazing. When Neji saw Tenten with lust-fueled eyes, he noticed that she was 'hot' for the first time ever. Now that he sees her with clear eyes, for the first time ever he realizes she is drop-dead gorgeous... and here she was complaining about her chapped palms!

The Hyuuga was the one to grab her hands this time. He cupped them from underneath her palms, and lifted them in front of his face." Your hands... No, you are beautiful, Tenten. No amount of calluses from grasping a kunai or two could ever change that."

_"Ugh. One day into it, and I have already become a complete sap. By next week I'll probably be writing her poetry! Pathetic."_

"Oh, Neji..." The genius was touching her hands with his bandages wrapped, and her body still felt warm and mushy like a burning marshmallow. She once again dominated the hand games, and linked the fingers of both of her hands with his fingers.

As Tenten suddenly rested her head against his chest, Neji was sure of it... yep, no doubt in his mind at all... Tenten was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Suddenly, the numerous concerns brought up by his thoughts seemed to be so far from him. It wasn't a choice anymore. He needed to have her... he needed to possess her... he needed to kiss her. The Hyuuga released one of his hands from his teammates grasp, grabbed her chin, and guided her head upwards to his mouth. It took Tenten a moment to pucker up her lips, as she was grinning ear-to-ear ever since Neji said she was beautiful.

**"Hehehehe!"**

The shinobi in both of them immediately came forth, and they both turned sharply to the source of the laughter with eagle's eye. It was a blackened figure. A silhouette of a person could be seen peeking through the blinds of Tenten's house, which were now illuminated with light from a room. The genin girl sighed, and pulled her head away from Neji.

"THAT would be my mother!" she explained, though they were still holding hands. "I... really want to, Neji, but it would be... awkward to do it in front of her."

"Hmm. Its no problem."

"Okay..."

"Yes, so..."

"I think this is the end of our walk." Tenten giggled.

"It seems so."

"So, I guess..."

"I'll see you tomorrow afternoon... for training."

"Kay..."

The two looked on at each other, trying to figure out between themselves exactly what the hell happened today. Neither had an inkling of a clue. Tenten diverted his eyes, and smiled toward his legs. Neji diverted his eyes, and revealed a grin. Eventually, they walked off from each other... their fingers breaking away from their "link" lastly.

"... One more thing Tenten."

She turned around quickly.

"Yes?"

"Would you... like to… do this again?" He was ashamed at how long that took to come out. Neji never used to feel like he had much in common with Hinata up until now.

"I would love to, Neji."

"Good, so then.. tomorrow we will do the same thing."

"Yes... we will." She smiled warmly.

"Good night.."

"Good night.."

Phew! What a night! And after all that, the mission was a success. Neji had just asked her out... as per the traditions of the Hyuuga Clan. Tenten ran into the house, practically spilling her words and excitement on the front porch before she could even take it inside the house. No matter. She had enough words and excitement left over to fill her mom's ears with happiness and pride. As Neji made his way away from the neighborhood area, he could feel Tenten's mom shaking the foundations of Leaf with her laughter and loud talk. He was amused for a second that he was being talked about, but quickly went back over in his mind about whether or not "he" would approve. He would know soon enough. What was sure was that Neji had to prepare to meet "him" tomorrow morning...


	8. Chapter 8

"_Huh?_" Chouji immediately stopped in his tracks as he beheld some dust roll off the side of a nearby rooftop. When his eyes shot upward there was no form to account for the pattering of feet he heard just above his head.

"Hmmm..." Chouji squinted his eyes and got into a defensive stance, one hand facing with the palm outward and the other balled into a fist beside his gut. He scouted the area over a few times and relaxed his fists.

"_Guess it was just one of our guys patrolling_"

Chouji inhaled deeply, and moved forwa-

"Oww!" A large pebble banged against the top of the genin's head, just between the two brown mountains that was his hair. He could tell by the force at which it fell that it was thrown down. His eyebrows shot downward as frustration scrunched up the skin of his forehead.

"You sonuvabitch... SHOW YOURSELF, YOU COWARD!!!" Chouji blasted his insults to the rooftops.

For a moment the night was quiet once more... another pebble shot down toward him. Chouji managed to dodge that one.

"Heh heh" Chouji laughed and grinned. "Too slow!"

A few more pebbles shot down toward Chouji, which he all dodged while mocking the attacker with weird dodging poses and laughter. The genin still couldn't get a good look at the rock thrower, as every time he looked up another rock fell toward him.

"HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! WHOEVER YOU ARE, YOUR AIM IS WAY OFF!!"

"**HEY!!! SHUT UP DOWN THERE! SOME OF US ARE TRYING TO SLEEP!!!**" An elderly woman with a night gown yelled from a 3rd-story window toward Chouji's back. Chouji glanced behind him.

"MIND YOUR BUSINESS, YOU OLD HAG! IT'S TOO EARLY FOR BED ANYWAY!!!"

"**AHHH, BLOW IT OUT YOUR ASS FATTY!!!**"

Chouji swung around with eyes blackened by rage. He raised his fist at the old lady and screamed at the top of his lungs.

"YOU COME DOWN HERE AND SAY THAT TO MY FACE!!!!!!!" The old woman shook her head, and closed the window. "YEAH, YOU BETTER GO BACK TO BED, YOU OLD FART!!! DON'T THINK FOR A SECOND I WONT KICK YOUR ASS ALL OVER THIS VILLAGE!!!"

"**Is that how you talk to your elders?**"

Chouji turned back around. He recognized that voice. He looked back up towards the roofs of Leaf only to have 'something' hurled directly at him. Chouj, with unexpected speed, intercepted the object as it was flying towards his face. Anger left his eyes as he saw what the item was from the lantern fire. It all made sense now.

"Shikamaru, get your ass down here!" Chouji tore open the bag of potato chips.

Shikamaru immediately dropped down from the roof, and landed on his feet beside his teammate. He had a bag of potato chips in one hand, and a bunch of rocks in the other. He taunted Chouji by allowing the pebbles to fall one-by-one in front of his face while grinning.

"Tharrt warrsn't frrunny!" Chouji responded, his voice muffled by mashed-up potato chips... Cheddar Cheese potato chips it seemed. "I rrever ad this flarrvor berrforrrre."

"Yeah, it just came out today" Shikamaru and Chouji began walking. "I would expect you to know that before me. You're usually at the grocery store first thing in the morning. What happened today?"

Chouji gulped down his chips and grinned.

"And why are you out at this time of night? Isn't supper ready at your house?"

Chouji smiled.

"And what are you smiling about?" Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

Chouji smiled wider, and chuckled... Finally, he couldn't contain himself.

"INO!"

"Huh?" Shikamaru's eyebrow went further up.

"Ino is the answer to all those questions!" Chouji exclaimed, before catching himself. He looked to the right and left, and then behind him. He then leaned in closer to Shikamaru as they walked. "I think she likes me!"

Shika sighed a sigh of pity. "And I think you're crazy."

"No, man, I'm serious!" Chouji spoke in an excited whisper. "Didn't you notice she's been acting funny around me for months now?"

"Tch. Women are fickle, Chouji... especially women as troublesome as Ino." With that comment Shikamaru opened up his own bag of chips and poured a bunch of them into his mouth like he was drinking sake.

"BUT!-" Chouji kept trying to silence his voice from the potential ears hiding in darkness. "I mean- but she kissed me!"

Shikamaru's eyes widened as he endlessly hacked out the mushy paste of flavored potato chips. "W-what was that?!"

"She. Kissed. Me!"

The chuunin thought for a moment and scoffed. "Hmph. Lying bastard."

"What?"

"This is just your way of getting back at me for the rock prank, isn't it?"

"No, I swear she did!"

"What a lame joke. You could've come up with something better then this." Shika grinned and walked with his eyes closed. "You expect me to believe that Ino, the most high-maintenance and popular girl in Konoha, kissed **you**?"

Shikamaru bumped into something thick and solid, like a brick wall. When he opened his eyes, Chouji was standing in front of him, stomach poked out toward him... he wasn't happy.

"And why is that so hard to believe, asshole?!"

Shikamaru's eyes went over the expression of his best friend's face.

"Wait a minute... You're serious!"

"Hey, don't ignore me! I said what was so hard to believe about Ino kissing me?!?!"

"Hmm... I wonder what would bring about her change of heart." Shikamaru spoke to himself, walking around the angry genin. Chouji decided to let it go for now, as he thought Shikamaru brought up an interesting question.

"Yeah, that's what I don't get either..."

"_Heh heh heh. It never fails._" Shikamaru delighted himself as he added another mental notch to the number of times Chouji fell for his 'subject change no jutsu'.

"Where did she kiss you?"

"Just on the cheek... but she used to hate to even touch me."

"Hmmm..."

"What do you think?" Chouji had a habit of seeking advice from Shikamaru... sometimes, even before trying to figure things out for himself.

The chuunin decided to eat the remainder of his chips with his hand as he contemplated.

"_... What could this be? Is it some kind of hoax on Ino's part? Perhaps the answer to a dare from one of her friends? As troublesome as she is, I doubt Ino is capable of something that low... Could it be that she genuinely has a thing for Chouji?_"

"If I were you, I'd wait this thing out a bit before I made my move. I would drop little hints to her as we hung out, and see how she responds to them... sorta 'feel her out', you get me?"

"Yeah. Gotcha"

"But tell me..." Shikamaru released one of those lustful devilish grins which seemed to be spreading like a virus among the teens of Konoha all day. "If you find out she does like you, would you go for it?"

"Are you kidding?!!?"

Chouji almost ate his own fist as he shoved the last of his chips into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed in a seamless motion. Shikamaru could have sworn that food actually worked with him so that he was able to accomplish such disgusting feats. The big-boned genin spoke on.

"Of course I'd go for it! Ino is the sexiest girl in the village! The only reason she is single is because everyone is too intimidated by her to ask her out! Don't you think she's hot?"

"Remember what I told you a year ago about guys not necessarily liking girls because they were skinny?" Shikamaru questioned. "Well, I'm one of those guys. Ino is too bony for me. I prefer a girl with a little more 'meat' on her..."

Chouji knew his best friend like he knew the back of a candy bar wrapper. He noticed Shikamaru's eyes were slightly looking toward the night sky as he spoke. He did the same thing when they would talk about the old days as academy students... He was obviously referring to a memory as he spoke of his type of woman. Chouji began to laugh uncontrollably as he put the pieces together.

"Uhh.. Chouji?"

"I overheard one of those kids you baby sit mention something about a girl with a giant fan coming to their class today..."

"Yeah. Temari and her brothers were at the academy..." Shikamaru sharpened his eyes at his friend. "What so funny about that?"

"Heh heh heh... Never mind." Chouji quoted an eerily familiar quote to Shikamaru with an accepting grin.

"_He's not kidding when he says he likes 'meat' on his girls. That Sand lady has thighs for days, if I remember right! And that rack of hers.. Hehehe... not a bad choice at all, Shikamaru._" Chouji added his first mental notch in the category of 'things he realized before Shikamaru could'.

Shikamaru looked genuinely confused as he made the turn that led to his 2-story house. Chouji continued to walk down the dusty road to his own home.

"Later, Chouji."

"Later... and watch how she acts when we're training tomorrow!"

Shikamaru made his way to the porch of his house, and pulled a ring housing many keys from his pocket. Each new addition to his keychain represented another obligation he had as a mid-level shinobi.

"Dammit... can never remember which key is which..."

He tried 2 out of his 13 keys before declaring the whole process a pain in the ass, and deciding to hop to his 2nd floor window instead. At least this way he could avoid the nagging of his mother if she was still awake.

He caught good footing of the narrow roof tiles that were just before his window. Shikamaru thought to open the window and go directly to bed, but caught the reflection of a particularly bright star the window's glass. He turned around to stare at the star directly. He hopped to the very top of his house, laid flat down with arms spread out, and pondered on the star. Then, he pondered on the night sky. It was a mix of deep blue and black... Shikamaru smiled. Eventually, he dozed off right on top of his house... with her eyes on his mind.

Its good to be the queen... or at least its good to have the queen's purse.

Temari pushed open the double doors to her decedent chamber with a slice of buttered toast between her teeth and a flowing night robe of ruby-red around her body. After shutting and locking the door behind her, the princess acquainted her bare feet with the ice cold marble floor by making her way to her bed. During the 1-yard walk across her room, she passed by multi-colored tapestries of woven art that hang from sockets placed 20 feet above the floor. Ceramic figurines of great Sunagakure warriors stood silently and proudly atop glistening furniture. Two mammoth mahogany bookshelves lay on either side of her circular bed, one filled with scrolls and the other a home to various ninja weaponry. Temari placed the piece of toast down on a small dresser to the side of her bed as she stressed and let out a light yawn. The huge room had the audacity to cause an echo to follow that light yawn! But such was the audacity of the former Kazekage. This palace and his fortune were the only thing he left his children in death, and the only thing he gave his children in life. Although Gaara was the only one of them to have been put through assassination attempts from his dad, all of them were greatly neglected by him. He was too busy and withdrawn to love them with his heart, so instead he comforted them with his wealth. The Sand Siblings Palace was a living manifestation of the late Kage's relationship with his 3 kids. Expensive, filled to the brim with stuff, and yet so very empty.

The blonde chuunin sat down on the side of her bed, the ravishing silk sheets matching the deep red of her robe. A portion of her thigh exposed itself from the spilt in her robe as she crossed her legs. She then opened the drawer of the tiny dresser that was beside her bed, pulled out a small scroll, and unraveled it over her lap. She picked back up the piece of toast, and bit into it. Her eyes moved slowly over the contents of the scroll. The crunching of her meal in her mouth was like background music as she began to read.

"_The Ambassador's Code of Conduct _

_1. A good ambassador will always remember to keep his/her appearance above exceptional at all times, as the ambassador must represent his vill-_"

**"Hey Gaara!" **

**"..." **

**" HEY GAARA!!!" **

**"What?" **

**"Did you get a load of that Tenten girl's 'assets' earlier?" **

**"... No." **

**"MAN she has grown!!! Those things were bouncing in all kinds of directions while she was walking toward us! And she had that sexy little attitude... It was hard for me to focus on fighting!" **

**"... I guess I didn't notice..."**

"KANKURO!!!!" A vein bursted forth on Temari's head as she hollered. "IF YOUR GONNA PERVERT GARRA'S MIND, YOU BETTER GO INTO HIS ROOM AND DO IT! STOP YELLING FROM ACROSS THE ROOMS, YOU IDIOT!!!"

**"So anyway... What do you think she was she doing with that uptight Hyuuga kid??" **

**"I don't know and don't really care." **

**"I hope it wasn't a date, or something! That little cutie is too much for that loser! He wouldn't know how to handle her!"**

"I'M WARNING YOU... SHUT UP!! I'M TRYING TO STUDY!!!"

**"Who cares?!?... Heh, maybe you should have brought some of those scrolls with you to Konoha... it would have given you 'something else' to look at all day!" **

"!!!"It was too much to walk all the way to his room tonight. Temari had already decided to kill Kankuro tomorrow morning. She just didn't know how to go about it yet. She viciously tore into a big piece of her toast as she forced herself to continue to read.

Gaara sighed.** "Kankuro... you just don't know when to quit, do you?" **

**"Ahh, like I give a rat's ass! I'm going to bed now anyway. GOOD NIGHT!" **

When Temari's anger subsided she realized she got bread crumbs all over the scroll! Ah, it was just as well. She didn't feel like studying anyway. She didn't feel like... anything. She was very restless. She placed the unraveled scroll across the dresser, un-crossed her legs, and walked over to the balcony area of her room. She placed her elbows against the stone arm-rest of the balcony as she looked out at the village of clay and sandstorms...

"MMMMM..." Temari closed her eyes as a sweeping wind came and kissed her skin softly. That invigorating breeze came from the east... the direction of Konoha... She returned to her bed. The weather was warm enough to sleep with no sheets, so Temari simply stretched her body out over the mattress and closed her eyes... no good. Something was wrong... Of course! She forgot to turn the light out. Temari flipped a nearby switch, and the lights of the chandelier ran off. She was now in darkness... She closed her eyes… still no good. She turned to her left. She turned to her right. She tried to sleep on her stomach. No good. She wrapped herself in the red sheets like a mummy. No good. She grabbed hold of one of the many pillows on her bed. Not working. Her eyes were wide open, and her eyelids refused to calm down. What was she so excited about? Then, a thought came to her... her body relaxed as she pressed her pillow tightly against her chest and stomach. Her eyelids felt so heavy. Her heart felt so... eased.

"_... Trying to tell me where to sit and where not to sit... Hmph. I'll deal with him next week._"

Temari fell fast asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Ugh. They had both been going through this routine all their lives, and it wasn't any less uncomfortable for the genin. The saliva got in his hair. The hot breath made his body shiver before the morning air could. The force behind the licks felt like they were tearing off his skin, and he swore that he wouldn't be able to grow facial hair because of it. The saliva from his hair dripped into his eyes and blurred his vision... and the worst part was that the dumb dog didn't know when to stop.

"Akamaru..." Kiba was still half-sleep when he was trying to knock the dog off of his bed with a sluggish push... the aggravation from the licks would wake him completely. "Akamaru... I'm awake now... stop it..."

His dog was getting harder to ignore every morning. He was getting so big that Kiba had a tough time getting him off the bed. Akamaru was also getting smarter. He knew that Kiba would probably go back to sleep if he didn't get Kiba thouroughly upset. His dog continued his expert face licking.

"Akamaru... AKAMARU, STOP IT NOW! GET OFF THE BED!" Kiba's eyes were now completely open, and his bed sheets and t-shirt were now completely drenched in dog drool. Akamaru immediately hopped off the bed and began to bark out taunts to Kiba. Kiba grinned.

"I bet you think that's funny..."

Akamaru was now a regular-sized dog. It had been a good 5 months since he was able to sit atop his best friend/master's head.

"Well... I guess I should get the day started..."

The genin pulled back his grey sheets and wiped some of the saliva from his wild brown hair. He would have to wash the rest of the drool out when he got in the shower. He then pulled off his drool-drenched T-shirt to reveal a white A-shirt beneath it. He made his way to the window, opened it up a crack, and stuck his hand out... good! Yesterday's blasted humidity was just that... A thing of yesterday.

"Ready to do some exploring, ya annoying little runt?!"

Akamaru barked loudly in response. This was great! Akamaru had to stay in the house all day yesterday because of the heat, but now they could do more exploring in the greenery and mountainous plains of Leaf later on! This fact woke the Inuzaka boy up like a caffeine injection.

"Dammit, not again!" Kiba's adrenaline rush took a nose-dive and arose in a completely different direction... a disturbing direction. He suddenly grabbed and cupped his nose with both hands.

"I can smell her again, Akamaru!" He exclaimed to his dog with a pinch of panic. Akamaru responded with a tilted head and a confused growl. "It's just like last time..."

Akamaru kept his head on a tilt as Kiba cringed noticeably at his memories. He re-called two nights ago... just before he was heading to bed. He walked up the stairway and down the hall when a powerful aroma took hold of his nostrils. It was a scent he had never picked up before... but he knew every scent in this own house. It was coming from the bathroom. Kiba walked closer and closer, each step causing the aroma to tug at his nostrils that much harder. By the time he was at the bathroom door the aroma had bored a hole through his nose like an invisible piercing. He never smelt something so strong... so pure. He usually wouldn't open a bathroom door without knocking first, but the aroma had formed a mushroom cloud within his brain. Ugh. He could still hear the shrieks of his naked sister as she tried in vain to cover herself with the shower curtain... And it was his response that scarred both of them for life. Kiba was drooling! He didn't turn away, he didn't say "SORRY!", he didn't even blushed. He stood there in the doorway, drooling like Akamaru, over his own sister! They never spoke of the situation again... Howbeit not as embarrassing, but similar situations were happening to Kiba with every female in his life.

"I-I can't stop smelling them, Akamaru! I can't stop smelling women!" Akamaru yelped a few times and allowed his flappy tongue to hang out of his mouth at Kiba's plight. "Don't laugh at me! This isn't funny at al!!"

It wasn't until Kiba went back to sit on his bed that Akamru noticed a drop of translucent liquid fall from between the spaces of his knuckles. He wasn't just covering his nose to block out the scent of his sister, but he was covering his mouth to hide the fact that he was still drooling from it! Wow. This was more serious then Akamaru realized. He immediately walked over to where his master sat and rubbed his head against his knee in an act of comfort. Kiba patted Akamaru on his head.

"One things for sure." Kiba spoke, slowly taking his hands off his hyper-sensitive nose. "I'm not moving from this spot until that scent leaves my nose. She should be done showering soon anyway…"


	10. Chapter 10

"I love the Academy, daddy!"

"I knew you would... What are they teaching you now?"

He hadn't got a wink of sleep all night, but his eyes were wide open with worry and anticipation. To everyone else, he looked well-rested.

"Their teaching us Henge no Jutsu already. Hidari sensei says I'm one of the best in my class!"

"That's good to hear, Hanabi."

He had been studying the clan's manuscripts as soon as he made his way back home... He was confident he knew how to go about his request, yet bits and pieces of total inadequacy were moving about in his belly.

"And guess who my recreations instructor is, Neji?" Hanabi smiled.

His hands were fidgeting underneath the wooden table before him. His shins were placed flatly on the ground in a meditative stance as they were many times before, but right now they felt so uncomfortable. He was itching all over, the mental stress causing physical irritation.

"Neji???" Hanabi stopped smiling.

He didn't even know what he was so worried about. It was stupid for him to be nervous. Surely he had operated with surgical precision under much more stressful situations out on the field... He wanted to get a hold of himself, but 'himself's' body was too slippery with sweat to get a firm grasp.

"HELLLOOO, Neeeejjjji! I'm talking to you!" Hanabi leaned over from her spot in front of the wooden table, and yelled in Neji's distant face.

"What? Oh, sorry Hanabi-sama... What were you saying?"

His cousin formed a question mark over her little head, and repeated herself.

"I SAID, guess who my recreations instructor is!"

"I don't know... who is it?"

"It's your friend, Shikamaru! He didn't want to play with us though. He said it was too hot to play."

"Hmm... So the slacker is now in charge of his own class? I never would have imagined it." Neji forced himself to be interested in Hanabi's conversation for the moment. Perhaps it would ease his nerves and make the situation more bearable.

"Breakfast is ready!"

It was a wonder how her mousey voice managed to fill the breakfast room. She made her way through the sliding door with a platter of four bowls of Miso soup in her hands. Of course, she gave the first bowl of soup to her father who sat at the head of the table. Hiashi nodded his head in response. She moved down to her little sister's place.

"Thanks, nee-san! But I get to cook breakfast next time!" Hanabi demanded with a huge grin.

She nodded with her own grin, and moved down to serve her cousin.

"The soup looks great, Hinata-sama." Neji spoke with a warm smile.

"T-thank you, nii-san!" Hinata blurted out while blushing.

The young heiress of the Hyuuga Main House was never much for titles, but in Neji's case she allowed it. Hinata liked when Neji referred to her as 'Sama' because she saw that it was his way of letting her know that the horror of their old relationship was over. It was his way of accepting her for who she was... It was his way of 'acknowledging' her... She also allowed it because she saw how healthy it was to Neji's spirit. Because it was healthy for him, it was instinctively healthy for her. She loved her cousin dearly, and cherished their new relationship like a mother cherishes her new-born child.

Hinata finally made her way to her place at the table, sitting in front of Hanabi with Neji and Hiashi on either side of her. She placed her soup in front of her, and knelt down before the table on her shins.

"...The Dim Sum will be ready soon."

The bashful genin brushed her pony-tail off of her shoulder and behind her neck. Hinata's hair had grown quite quickly since Naruto went off to train with Jiraiya. Her dark-blue hair, pulled back and tied with a white ribbon, now reached down to the base of her neck.

And the four Hyuuga's all sat there at the breakfast table, dressed in black formal robes not unlike the Kimono's of old... Of course, since Neji was a Branch House member he had no right to wear the robes of royalty... In fact, a Branch house member eating with Main House members was practically unheard of. It was these decisions that made Hiashi the most controversial Hyuuga ever to lead the clan. He was hated by most of the Hyuuga elders for his decisions, and he endured that hatred gladly. He would endure all the hatred and opposition in the world when it came to matters involving his nephew. As far as Hiashi was concerned, he still had a heavy debt to pay to Neji. Allowing Neji to dwell with him as though he was socially equal to his daughters was the least he could do... They began to eat.

"...Neji." Hiashi's powerful, bellowing voice did more then break the silence... It shattered it.

"Yes, Hiashi-sama.." Neji looked down into his bowl of Miso as he answered.

"Don't you think it's about time you told us what's troubling you?"

Neji looked up to his uncle in mild shock, a little relieved that he opened up the conversation for him.

Hiashi grinned at Neji before taking another sip of his soup. "Come now... I know you have something to say."

"Yes, I-I do..." Neji pushed up on the breakfast table with his sweaty palms, and stood before his Uncle. Hanabi and Hinata turned their heads to Neji with the utmost interest, as they were eager to hear what had shaken up their rock-hard cousin. There were only 3, yet Neji's nerves saw 100's. And his uncle... his uncle may as well have been sitting on a high platform with a hooded cloak and a slaughter weapon. His face was stern and violent like a tempest. Neji was a lamb staring in the face of a butcher... It was as though his request was turn down without it even being professed. The genius took a deep breath, opened his mouth... closed it, and took another deep breath. He cleared his throat.

"I... I, Neji Hyuuga, do beseech my lord for the right to begin courting!" Neji almost looked angry when he finally got his request out.

The room came alive.

Hinata was speechless. Her mind went blank at the thought of her cousin being interested in dating... anyone!

"Awwww... Neji is in love!" Hanabi spoke with a glimmer in her eyes.

Hiashi closed his eyes and inhaled heartily through his nostrils, the steam of his miso soup billowing into his nose. He exhaled in the same manner.

"Hizashi..." Hiashi spoke in a strong whisper that was audible to everyone about the table. "If only you were alive to see the day your son became a man."

Neji bowed his head in reverence of the comment. Hiashi opened his lavender eyes, and stared directly at his nephew.

"Neji... I assume you are aware that as a Branch House Member you do not need to seek the approval of the Main House for the right of courting."

Since the Branch House had no power or sway in the clan's affairs, the Main House was never concerned with preserving 'high standards' in their seed. Therefore, they could 'court' who they wanted, when they wanted.

"I am aware..."

"And yet you seek my approval nonetheless?"

"I would never feel comfortable doing this without your approval".

Neji spoke honestly. He and his uncle's relationship had grown possibly even stronger then his revived relationship with his cousin... which was saying a whole lot. The way he saw it, Neji didn't have much of a choice about seeking Hiashi's approval. Had it not been for the respect they both had for Hizashi's sacrifice, Neji would have been calling the man "father" a long time ago.

"Such integrity..." His mighty voice was almost choked with unseen tears. "... As expected of my nephew. You do me great honor, Neji."

"..." Neji bowed his head once more, smiling, and yet clenching his fists in order to fight back tears as well.

The Hyuuga girls were silent.

"Tell me... are you courting with the intention of marriage?"

"... Possibly."

"Hmph." Hiashi smirked, and decided to change the mood in the atmosphere.

"You children are so lucky to be alive in this era. Until about a century ago, it was believed that the only way to truly preserve the purity of our clan was to practice in-breeding. In the rare case where A Main House family did not have both a son and daughter, this belief would transcend Main and Branch House member status. If a Main House father had a son with no daughter, that son was expected to marry the next of kin in the Branch House..."

Hinata and Neji knew exactly where he was going with this and were already squirming on the inside. Nevertheless, the head of the clan spoke on in detail with a wider smirk on his face.

"So, in other words, had this tradition not been expelled... there is a good chance Neji would be forced to take Hinata's hand in marriage when he came to age!"

The two Hyuuga's shyly glanced at each other and both had the same cheesy vision of Neji picking up Hinata in her wedding robe as they gazed into each other's love-struck eyes.

_**"O, Hinata-sama... You are the only girl for me."**_

_**"O, Neji Nii-san... kiss me!"**_

And that was as far as they allowed the vision to go before sharply breaking eye-contact and cringing.

"EWWW, GROSS!!!" was Hanabi's only response.

Hiashi burst out into full laughter at the responses of the young Hyuugas. The three Hyuuga's all looked on at him with cold eyes, obviously not finding it as humorous. He eventually caught his breath, and wiped a single tear from his eye.

"But of course, such narrow-minded thinking has been done away with. We now know that the gene of the Hyuuga's bloodline is always the dominant gene in reproduction. This means that, apart from a Hyuuga breeding with another Bloodline Clan such as the Uchiha's, a Hyuuga baby is ALWAYS born despite the background of the other spouse."

The three exhaled in relief and thankfulness.

"However, there are many Hyuuga's who still believe that in-breeding is the only way to preserve the clan, and despise those of us who think differently..." Hiashi now decided to bring the conversation back to Neji's courting, feeling he successfully lightened the air in the room. "Tell us, Neji... who exactly do you plan on courting?"

Somehow, this was even harder for him to say then the initial request. His face turned bright-red.

"... Wui Tenten."

Hinata lit up as she smiled downward in the reflection of her Miso Soup. She almost swore that she saw chemistry between the two of them years ago, but immediately dismissed it as she never saw either of them do anything about it. Hinata couldn't imagine a girl better for her beloved cousin.

"Ah... the weapon master that you train with so often." Hiashi spoke on. "You have chosen wisely. Just from the diligence of her training I can see that this Tenten is a woman of virtue... and she is every bit as beautiful as she is deadly."

"You do me honor with your compliment, Hiashi-sama."

"Hmm... so THIS is why you came home so late last night!" Hiashi said with a wink.

"Y-yes... it is."

Hanabi and Hinata both stifled their giggles. Hiashi raised an eyebrow for a moment.

"Ummm... you didn't..."

"NO! No... we didn't even come close to doing that yet. We mainly talked." Neji always hated weak displays of emotions like blushing.. and in turn, he hated himself a lot right now.

"That's good to hear."

Hiashi took another spoonful of his soup.

"Of course now that I know who it is you plan on courting, I am even more confident in my disapproval of your request."

The room had come under attack.

The two Hyuuga girls swung their heads toward their father in pure confusion and shock. Neji didn't move... he couldn't move. His animation, his being, his soul.. and any other invisible part of him had been dropped down to the lowest part of hell. So swift and unexpected was the horrific descent that Neji didn't have time to cry. His eyes were given no time to swell up with tears of anger and disappointment... his heart was given no time to break. His mind was given no time to form unheard pleas of objection and obscenities toward his uncle. There was no time for a proper defense to be set up, as his uncle's smiling face had allowed him to drop his guard. There was no time for pain... except for the pain that came with discovering that he was lost in hell. Never had Neji experienced anything close to this abyss. He was detached, cut off, quickly rooted out of the land called 'love'.

"I will now tell you why I have denied your request."

Neji listened down from the depths of his own hell, staring at his uncle with void eyes.

"You... have the potential to become the greatest Hyuuga to have ever lived, Neji. You have the potential to become the greatest shinobi Konoha has ever seen. Your training is bringing you to the epitome of perfection... and because you have all this potential as a mere Branch House member... you have the potential to change the ways of the Hyuuga Clan forever."

Neji didn't say a word. Hiashi's words grew ever passionate.

"Do you understand, Neji? If you are able to become all that I know you will become, you will have the power to assure that atrocities like what happened to your father so many years ago will NEVER have to happen again... you have the power to make sure that future generations never have to know such meaningless tragedy as we... no, as YOU have known."

Hinata looked down into her Miso soup.

"You must understand, Neji. In order to master something, you must give yourself wholly over to that 'thing'. You must give your life to your training, my nephew... for the sake of so many that will come after you, you must perfect your way of the ninja above all else. I cannot approve of anything that seeks to take you away from this goal. I will not condone any distractions."

Neji's soul, tormented in the dark flames of this hell, began to cry out as the foundation that Tenten had torn down was unwillingly built right back up. O, how the foundation grieved him! As Hiashi gave him the exact speech he gave her, surely Neji's soul cried out in pain... his soul cried out in the pain of the truth.

"And do not think I am doing this for only your sake... but for Tenten's sake as well." Hiashi expounded. "I have been watching both of you train in this Manor every afternoon with disbelief of what my eyes were telling me. This girl, whom you adore so much, can do things with weapons that I never thought were possible. And every single day, when I think she can go no further in honing her skills, she has proved me wrong. If I allow you two to begin courting, I am certain that her training would suffer greatly. I have heard that her aspirations are to become a great kunoichi like the Hokage Tsunade-sama herself. I know for a fact that you would hate to be responsible for causing this dream of hers to never be realized. Do not be deceived, Neji... love weakens muscles."

Neji's soul was beginning to ascend back up to himself, being built again on the foundational words which were now like venom to his heart. Through the agony of the truth, he started to see his uncle's point.

"Furthermore, I am certain you have already realized how your feelings for her can affect your judgment when your out on missions, correct?"

"... I have..."

"So you now see how dangerous this relationship can be for not only your success in missions, but for both of your futures... This is why my answer is no."

Now that Neji had been brought out of that terrible place he was able to once again feel sorrow, anger, and disappointment in his uncle's words. Neji dropped his head as he stood before him, but this time not in reverence. His lavender pupils were shaking within his eyeballs, as his fists began to involuntarily shake. Soon, his head began to shake as well. His whole form was shaking without a hint of it coming to an end. So many outward expressions of the inward pain, and not one of them alleviated the pain at all.

"The eyes are a window to the soul." Hiashi went on further, this time sipping his soup as he spoke. "I can see by looking into your wounded eyes that your feelings for your teammate go far beyond her just being a 'date'... whether you realized it yet or not. Despite how you feel about me at this very moment... Know that I am not foolish enough to get in the way of something as powerful as love."

Neji didn't say a word.

"I estimate that in 3 years both you and Tenten will be worth 100's of enemy shinobi... you will both reach the peak of your training. I also suspect that you will both grow in maturity, and will be better suited for your relationship. 3 years... THAT is when you will have my blessing to court."

Hanabi jumped out of her seat in boiling defiance.

"3 years?!??! Daddy, that's not fair! They want to be with each other now, not in 3 years!!!"

Hinata shot a look of pity and worry for her little sister... Hanabi didn't know her father the way she did.

"This does not concern you, Hanabi. You will sit down right now."

"But Dad-"

"**SILENCE** WHEN YOUR FATHER SPEAKS." Hanabi jumped back from her father's cry like thunder had roared suddenly into her ear. His face was twisted and brutal to look at. "YOU WILL SIT DOWN **RIGHT NOW**..."

Hanabi's shins couldn't hit the ground any faster. She tried to choke back her tears, but she couldn't. She put her head down on the table, covered it with her arms, and started to cry. Her pain-filled sobs filled the room. Hinata turned to her father.

"M-my father, with all due respect, Hanabi was just trying to say that it might be harder for Neji if he ha-"

"**HOW DARE YOU**, CHILD!" His roaring continued. The tempest was still raging. "YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER THEN TO TALK BACK TO ME. **HOLD YOUR TONGUE**, HINATA. YOU SHAME YOURSELF."

He was right. Hinata definitely should have known her own father's wrath by now. She didn't know what part of her had the nerve to be brave at a time like this. She cast her eyes back into her Miso Soup in submission.

Neji continued to stand there, projecting some kind of respected hatred toward his Uncle. However, the violent shaking had come to a stop. He grabbed hold of himself, tried hard to brush away the thick darkness of his frustration and pure rage that stained his mind like soot, and thought on Hiashi's proposition. Neji stood with wounded eyes. Hiashi sat with one more profession.

"... I know your father would have wanted the same thing for you..." He fashioned his tone like a shovel in an attempt to dig his nephew out of his mood. "Neji! What is your answer?"

The genius had gotten a hold of himself for the moment, and sighed wearily. Decision time... Even though he never had to go through his uncle to date Tenten in the first place, now that he had gone through his uncle he was officially accountable. Now, if he continues to date Tenten, it would be disobedience. And Hiashi had made so many good points, as horrible as they were to hear. However... Tenten made excellent points as well... And he wanted so badly to be with her. But he and his uncle were getting SO CLOSE! Neji didn't want to break that relationship with him no more then he wanted to wait to be with Tenten. His teammate represented a new chapter in his life. His uncle represented a chapter that wasn't even finished yet... It came down to which chapter he decided to jump to next. Either way it was a painful read... It was Tenten or Hiashi.

Neji sat back down on his shins calmly.

...Tenten never stood a chance...

"I, Neji Hyuuga do accept the proposition of my lord, and will hereby hold to it. I will begin courting in 3 years... The words of my lord are true."

The room had been killed.

"Neji, this may seem hard for you now... but I assure you that you will be happy you waited. Both you and her will be ready to enjoy each other without having to worry about your own goals and dreams in life, since they will all be attained by then."

"I know." His words were dead.

"Then the decision has been made." He took another sip of the soup and spoke to his daughters. "And this decision is** final**. Do I make myself clear?"

Hinata nodded her head. Hanabi nodded hers as well, still sobbing, her face moistened by the tears.

"... The Dim Sum should be ready now."

Hinata scurried out of the room and into the kitchen.


	11. Chapter 11

"I'll have the Roll Sushi with the Curry Bread." Asuma said while handing the waitress his menu.

"I guess I'll have the same thing." Shikamaru spoke in a sigh with his elbow on the table and his fist mashed into his face.

"I would like the Champon Noodles please." Ino spoke while hawk-eyeing Chouji, whose face was deep in his menu.

"And what about you, sir?" The waitress questioned Chouji.

The expert feeder had shut out all the noises and chatter of the people around him in the restaurant. He zeroed in on the words of the menu, almost test-tasting the different-flavored sauces in his mouth from the print on the paper. So many appetizers and entrees... so many specials... Sensei said he didn't have too much money for food today. Hmmm... He would have to go light this time.

He looked to the waitress with passion in his eyes, and quietly cleared his throat.

"I'll have the Korean-barbequed Spare Ribs, Basashi with extra seasoning, salted salmon, Anpan bread, and some Pocky!!!"

Chouji smiled at Asuma from across the table. It was his way of saying 'please let me have all of this, I'll pay you back if it cost too much'. Of course, his dependable, non-objectionable sensei offered no objection. Chouji chuckled in victory before his eyes passed over Ino, who sat beside him as usual. Her hot eyes were flowing with literal electricity as she glared at Chouji, secretly waging war with his beastly appetite. The appetite fought back as Chouji frowned a little and decorated his face with a look begging for pity. Ino shook her head at the facade, denying the request. The appetite, now aroused in anger, tried the verbal approach. Chouji crossed his arms as he spoke.

"Its too late. I already ordered, and it's confusing for the waitress if I change my order!" He turned his face away from Ino with a snooty attitude.

"Chouji..." The veins of electric currents continued to course through her eyes as she spoke his name in a threatening manner.

"No! I never made any promises." The appetite knew better then to look her in the eyes, so he kept his head turned.

"CHOUJI..." Ino spoke through her teeth, raising the danger zone of her threat from a 'Code Orange' to a 'Code Red'.

The appetite was getting nervous. She wasn't letting up one bit... Chouji had to really think to defend his right to chow down. Well, there was always THAT argument, but it was playing dirty... Meh. Desperate times call for desperate measures. The appetite was assured of his victory, and stared its challenger Ino in the face.

"You said yourself that 'you could live with it'!"

The electric currents of her eyes suddenly faced a major power outage. It was true. She did say that yesterday... damn. Well, she could play dirty too. In fact, the appetite was way out of its league.

Ino threw her arms in the air before crossing them, pouted with deep exaggeration and an overflow of cuteness, released the 'puppy-dog' eyes, and expertly harnessed the unlimited power of every teenage girl's secret weapon.

_"**Chhhooujjii!!!**"_ Yes, that's right. She performed the 'super whiny name call' technique flawlessly.

The appetite was immediately defeated. Chouji was not familiar with the power of the 'super whiny name call', and how it melts the hearts of all men almost instantly. It had brought down greater men then him. It was disguised as a 'pleading call'; giving the man the illusion that he was in control, and had argued the girl down to the point where she had to beg for an agreement. It made the man think he was doing the woman a 'favor' by deciding to give into her. In actuality women every where use this 'command' to resolve roughly... 70 percent of all debates with the opposite sex. It was a guaranteed victory. As the sexy purr embedded within the whine entered his ear lobes, Chouji rolled his eyes before looking angrily at his menu again.

"Forget my first order... I'll have the steamed-vegetable medley." Chouji spoke under his breath like he was ashamed of himself.

Ino patted him on the back with a grin on her face.

"????...Uhhh, okay! Your orders will be coming shortly!" This was the strangest group the waitress had served in weeks. She took the menus and walked off.

Chouji sighed as though he was about to cry.

"Stop that, Chouji! I'm sure you'll like it!"

"Just leave me alone." Chouji attempted to conceal his grin from his teammate.

"You know you don't mean that! Stop trying to hide your smile!" Ino laughed.

"!!!!"

Shikamaru and Asuma's eyes had been twitching since the moment Chouji even began to consider changing his order. They never could have imagined that Ino would actually succeed. The fact that Ino and Chouji were clearly displaying flirty antics right in front of them was scary enough, but to overcome the appetite... Shikamaru was a little more disgusted then he was surprised.

"_Tch. Their not even officially dating and she already has him eating out the palm of her hand. I expect this sort of stuff with my whipped dad but never with you, Chouji. Tsk tsk tsk. Haven't I taught you anything?_"

"_I definitely owe Ino for convincing Chouji to eat lighter. She sure saved me a lot of money... but what is this really about?_"

"And just who the hell are you two staring at?!" Chouji was getting a little tired of both of their shock, and was generally upset about having to eat a bunch of steamed leaves as well.

"Hmm, good question. I don't even know who I'm staring at anymore." Shikamaru shot back to Chouji with a disappointed scowl.

Ino jumped in like Chouji had 'tagged her into the ring'.

"WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN!??!" The Loudmoth Ino had entered the building. She disrupted more then a few customers who were eating around Team 10.

"Tch. HE knows exactly what it means."

"Well, HE isn't asking you is he, smart-ass!?"

"So, Shikamaru" Asuma quickly interrupted the argument, and attempted to diffuse it. "You seem a little grumpy today. What is wrong?"

"Hmph" Ino withdrew for the moment.

Shikamaru sighed. "I have to deal with your troublesome nephew in a few hours."

"Heh. Yes... Konohamaru can be a handful." Asuma admitted. "But you survived him yesterday, so you'll survive him today."

"Hehehe" Ino found a golden opportunity to mess with the meddling chuunin, and she'd be damned if she would let it just pass her by. "I hear Shikamaru had some 'help' with his class yesterday."

"Oh?" said Asuma.

"Yes, he did... Shikamaru, would you mind telling our sensei about your special helper yesterday? That way he'll understand why you're blushing right now!" Ino winked at the Chuunin, who was indeed blushing.

Shikamaru ignored Ino for the most part and darted his eyes towards Chouji. His large friend looked pretty guilty right now, as he well should... Somebody must have told Ino about Temari. The squealing bastard... But he shouldn't have been mad that Chouji told her. It's not like he was keeping it a secret. Why would he care? He didn't care. In fact, he had no problem telling Asuma sensei at all. Shikamaru answered.

"It's nothing big, sensei. The team from the Hidden Sand Village stopped by the Academy yesterday."

"Don't you mean '**Temari**', that older woman who always seems to be around you, stopped by the Academy yesterday?" Ino was loving this.

"No. I mean the '**Hidden Sand Village Team**'" He looked at Chouji again. "I guess your informant forgot to mention that her brothers were there too."

Chouji sunk down into his seat with another layer of guilt covering him.

"Great. My entire team has become a bunch of hopeless romantics." Asuma finally said with a sigh.

"Look whose talking, sensei? Have you told Kurenai sensei where you get roses for her every week, or do I have to tell her myself?" Ino stuck out her tongue to her sensei.

"Ah, look! Here come's our food now." Lady Luck was on Asuma's side today... and apparently Lady Luck's name is Aeka, if the waitress's name tag was telling the truth.

"Here you go guys."

"AWWWWW!!!" Chouji groaned like a kid who got socks for Christmas, as seeing the smoking pile of broccoli and red lettuce for himself suddenly made it real to him. He realized he made a terrible mistake.

"Its really nothing to be ashamed of, Shikamaru." Ino smiled with piranha teeth as the waitress placed her tender noodles before her. "I think you guys make a cute couple!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes and spoke with a little more frustration then what was typical of him. "I'm through arguing. How about you just shut up and eat?"

The blonde genin would have shot back, but she dare not break the sacred tradition. Chouji perked up, Shikamaru set aside his annoyance, and Ino held her peace in honor of the timeless phrase.

_**"Itadakimasu!!!" **_

------------------------------

**Soushouryuu!!!!**

Dragons of smoke and chakra coiled around her perfect body for the 2nd time since they started training. Odd. He had deflected every weapon from her initial performance of her strongest jutsu, so why did she think it would work this time? Neji, veins swelling with chakra from his Byakugan, wasn't sure what she was planning... but he so adored watching her plan it. The flowing paper from the two small scrolls twirled about her in the opposite direction of the smoke dragons, and the poofs of smoke revealed a second legion of edged weapons.

**"Hakkesho Kaiten!!!!!"**

Even as Neji activated his ultimate defense technique, and the shell of blue cocooned him, he thought on those smoke dragons. They were ferocious-looking, yet completely under the control of Tenten. They looked like they wanted to swallow her whole, but all they ever did was encircle her. They looked as though they wanted her, but couldn't have her. They would be wasting their time if they ever tried to pass the boundary and actually get to her. The dragons were there to just support her in her combat, nothing more... They were never to enjoy her.

The blue swirling cocoon sent Tenten's weapons back at her as expected. As the edged weapons were coming the kunoichi immediately kicked a large battle staff that was sent flying on the floor from the first attack, into mid-air. She then caught the staff with her right hand, positioned it above her head at a slight angle, and spun the staff furiously. As the lighter shurikens and kunai made their way to their master, her staff spin reflected them and sent them flying back toward Neji once more. Tenten continued to do this whilst dodging the larger of her weapons as they were reflected by Neji. The genius somehow felt that his chakra barrier was being put under more stress then it is used to. Neji had to concentrate harder, spin faster, and push out more chakra then ever before. Obviously his teammate was doing something differently, but he couldn't get a clear shot of what it was. The stone slabs that were unfortunate enough to be within Neji's diameter were instantly diced apart like celery before a chef's knife. Tenten even noticed that some of her kunai was being sent back to her in pieces from the wrath of his blue light. Of course, the sparring square of Hyuuga Manor once again looked like a war-zone. Eventually, when the lighter weapons were all but wasted away from the volley of Neji and Tenten, the Hyuuga felt it was safe to power down.

No sooner then all of the toes of his left foot had been planted squarely on the broken stone slabs, a haze of 6 senbon needles was sent his way. He barely managed to knock them away as he didn't even have time to channel chakra into his hands when he repelled the first 2 needles. He never knew senbon needles to be apart of Tenten's scroll jutsus... and these needles didn't look like ordinary senbon in the first place. Were did they come from? Neji, breathing harshly after draining much chakra from the Hakkesho Kaiten, looked toward his comrade to receive the answer to his question. Her braided buns unraveled downward as two pig-tails on either side of her face. She had thrown the pins from her hair so quickly that the buns stood for a moment under their own weight. The pig-tails then unraveled once more, and set her hair completely free. The hair almost overtook the Hidden Leaf insignia of her forehead-protector and smothered the top corners of her eyes. It looked to Neji like a flowing, syrup-brown curtain that covered her cheeks and dangled down to her collar bone. Tenten brushed both sides of her hair to the back of her ears so she could continue fighting... or perhaps so her comrade can get a better look at her. Neji had never seen her hair out... A hint of a frown came to his face when he beheld another layer of her beauty.

"Your mind seems elsewhere today, Neji." she mocked him, repeating his words from yesterday's training.

As she spoke, her smile was somewhere between sadism and seduction... and it was quite a fitting smile. Neji was in deep sorrow while he was reasonably aroused. He would attempt to ignore both feelings though, as he readied himself for anything. Tenten kept the same smile as she pulled out yet another small scroll from the back of her pants. It was the type that didn't require a blood contract to bring forth items. She allowed the scroll to unravel to the floor, ran her hand over the inscriptions, and a double-edged sword appeared from the smoke. She caught the sword with her right hand and formed a stance where she held the sword above her head with the blade pointing toward Neji. She spread out her legs and positioned her left leg so that the knee was bent toward Neji. Her right leg was placed behind her backside, her knee straightened so that her leg was at a diagonal. Left foot pointed toward Neji, right foot pivoted to the side. Her right hand was placed outward before her face, her index and middle finger pointed upward. It was a sword stance famous among her ancestry.

Neji was intrigued, and thankful that humor had come to wash away the other two emotions he was feeling. This was a funny predicament. It would appear she actually intended to fight him at close range! Technically he could just continually use the Hakkesho Kaiten whenever she approached him, but he never re-called seeing her fight with a sword... He would use only basic jyuuken techniques to parry and avoid her attacks. Neji also spread his legs out far apart, to the point where his thighs almost touched the ground. He held his right palm so the tips of his fingers were pointing to Tenten, and held his left palm out behind the back of his head at a diagonal. With an entertained grin Neji moved the fingers of his right palm toward himself, daring Tenten to engage him in melee combat.

Hot anger and passion roasted Tenten's face, and scorched her smile. Though a large portion of her was focused on the fight, she couldn't help but get a little flustered by that cute little 'hand beckoning' thing he did. She couldn't wait until they were done training... she couldn't wait to have Neji to herself. First things first...

"_Hmph. He's a bit cocky right now... good. He underestimates just how much chakra and stamina he drained deflecting the same weapons over 5 times non-stop. I may actually get him this time!"_

Without further ado, Tenten gracefully charged toward her comrade whilst hopping over and around her scattered weaponry. Her hair 'flowed' through the air like silk on a windy day. She held the sword behind her with the blade parallel to the back of her head. Neji didn't move an inch, but just watched. As the driven kunoichi was but a few feet from her target, she suddenly skid against the weapon-infested ground and kicked a myriad of fallen weapons in the Hyuuga's face! He took care of every jumbled weapon from the surprise attack with a single palm swipe, but was far from out of danger. He could see the sword's glistening blade cut the wisps of chakra ascending from his hands. He never could have imagined she could move that quickly, but the kunochi made a horizontal slash toward his head nonetheless. In desperation the genius arched his back so that the hairs of the back of his neck kissed the ground. He felt the metal of the blade come in contact with and possibly tear his clothing, but he managed to evade the attack. TenTen immediately aimed a vertical slash toward the Hyuuga's chest. Neji knocked the sword away by the flat end of the blade with a palm strike. He then allowed his hands to press against the ground, and performed a reverse handstand with his legs shooting into the air. He did this not only to flip backward and regain proper footing, but also in an attempt to kick Tenten in the chin. He succeeded in flipping himself back to a balanced position, but Tenten avoided the kick by slightly arching herself backward in like manner. When he regained footing, she pressed him harshly with another assault. Neji was successful in parrying much of the sword attacks with his jyuuken, but this entire fight was still beyond belief. The fact was that Tenten was keeping up with a trained Hyuuga at close-range combat. To think that she could so freely and quickly perform attacks with a weapon as heavy as a double-edged sword... When Neji knocked the sword one way, it only took Tenten a second to recover and attack another way. The Hyuuga was dodging and parrying at a rate that he never thought would be necessary and she kept up with him, even beginning to incorporate some light taijutsu into the fray in an attempt to confuse him. He was producing so mach chakra from the fight that Tenten was beginning to feel it all around the area. The liquid fire felt much more uncomfortable when released in battle. It practically choked her.

So, the two warriors danced in the sparring square for a solid 5 minutes before Neji got fed up and split the blade in two with a well-placed jyuuken strike. The weapon master immediately shifted her jaw in a strange way, and spit toward the Hyuuga. Without the Byukagan, Neji wouldn't have stood a chance reflecting that hidden needle in her mouth. Her persistence was getting scary to him. Tenten finally allowed her broken sword to collapse to the ground before she immediately followed. She was beyond exhausted, and came close to hyperventilating on the ground. She eventually gained control of her breathing, and continued to rest on the very comfortable cracked stone. Neji was still in the jyuuken stance as he also wheezed out in stone-heavy successions. Although no amount of breathing exercises could calm him down... or make him feel any better. As he looked at the stunning genin resting on the ground, her hair frizzy and wild, he began to curse himself for waiting so long to do this. It was about time... He thought of those dragons of smoke and chakra once more.


	12. Chapter 12

Shikamaru was the first one out of the door to the restaurant. He began to make his way down the road toward the Academy when Asuma called out to him.

"Shikamaru!"

"Yeah?" Shikamaru stopped and turned around.

"I just wanted to remind you that I won't be able to play Shoji with you tomorrow. I'll be out on a mission in the Thunder Country all day."

"That's fine. See you when you get back."

He continued to make his way toward the Academy.

"Hey, Shikamaru! Wait up!"

"... What?" Shikamaru spoke without turning around.

Chouji made his way to his best friend's back, and stopped. He scratched the back of his head a bit, and began the process of reconciliation.

"Yeah... about what happened in there..."

"Don't worry about it."

"Huh?"

Shikamaru turned to Chouji with the nonchalant expression that he was used to.

"I forgot all about it as we were eating... Besides, its not like it was a secret that Temari was at the Academy yesterday."

"Oh, I KNOW you weren't keeping it a secret, or anything! But still, it was stupid of me to tell her. I should have just kept my mouth shut."

"Bah. I won't lose sleep over it."

The two paused for a second, attempting to interpret the underlying messages behind their words. Its generally how guys work. Because feelings and emotions aren't openly expressed for fear of being labeled a pansy, two guys will often have to search out those feeling by 'decoding' the macho bravado that appeared on the surface of the conversation.

"There you are!!!"

Chouji was pulled out of the decoding process by the entrapment of healthy, vanilla-colored arms. The arms came from behind him, and wrapped around his shoulders with the warmth of a winter jacket. The attacker rubbed her baby-soft cheek against Chouji's cheek as her platinum-blonde bang obscured the vision of his left eye.

Ino cause a long "MMMMMMMMMM" to come forth from her lips like she was humming a song with only one note. She closed her eyes, and practically squeezed the life out of her poor teammate with a bone-crushing embrace. Of course, Chouji's bones were hard to crush. After all, he was 'big-boned'.

Although Chouji was having a party on the inside, he was beginning to get used to Ino's constant touching and didn't look nervous at all. He placed his hand over one of hers and grinned. She eventually let go.

"What did I do to earn THAT?" Chouji turned to Ino.

"THAT was for finishing those vegetables in there! I know it wasn't easy for you... ssoooo, I thought I would reward you."

"Ugh." Shikamaru was literally shielding his eyes with his hand from the disgusting display. Ino and Chouji were too involved with each other to notice him.

"Anyway, I'll let you two boys talk." She looked toward Shikamaru's way suddenly. "Shikamaru."

"Yeah?"

"I'll see you tomorrow!" She smiled at him. Of course, what she was really saying was 'sorry', concerning what happened in the restaurant. Shikamaru accepted the apology and smiled.

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow." They both decided they would continue fighting some other time.

"Bye, big guy." Ino gently pushed her friend. She began walking backward a few feet while still looking at him. Though Chouji was becoming more confident, he still wasn't ready for that sort of heat. He refused to make eye contact back. She eventually turned around, and walked off.

"Wow..." Shikamaru spoke as she walked out of view. "... I would say within two weeks, she is going to have you walking around in a skirt."

"Shut up!"

"I'm being serious... she just put you on a 'reward system' like you were her pet or something." Shikamaru sighed.

"You... don't know what you're talking about."

"Well? Why are you still talking to me?"

Chouji looked confused.

"Go after her. Drop a hint or two, like we talked about." Shikamaru grinned. "I have to admit... from what I just saw, it looks like she's all yours. Go get your girl."

"Heh" Chouji had to close his small eyes from smiling so hard. "About time you started talking some sense."

"Hmph."

"But are you sure your not mad about the Academy thing at all?" Chouji questioned as a last resort, failing to decode the underlying message of their 'man talk' earlier.

"Nope."

"So... were cool then?"

"Were cool as long as you don't let Ino completely whip you into shape. It would be a pain in the ass to deal with you if you became like my Dad."

"Deal!"

And with that, Chouji ran off in the direction Ino was walking... She was a reasonable distance from him, so perhaps she was running herself. Shikamaru made his way to the Academy for recreation. Without the Sand Siblings helping him, he anticipated an 'interesting' session today.

"_Tch, Chouji... squealing bastard_."

"_Wow. Look at him go! Those extra hours of training are rally paying off for him. I didn't think he could move so quickly._"

Ino crossed her arms and tapped her left foot against the dust as she noticed Chouji rocketing toward her with decent speed. All the food-stands of the Konoha marketplace were disappointed and surprised to actually see Chouji running past them without buying anything. He made his way to Ino, and caught his breath as he spoke.

"Ino... I... finally caught up with you."

"I'll say! I have never seen you move so fast, Chouji. And to think you did it all for me... how flattering!"

Chouji's current lung capacity would not allow for too much suggestive banter. He cut to the point.

"Are..." He was still catching his breath, which conveniently masked his hesitation "...you doing anything today?"

"Well..." Ino began walking. Chouji walked with her. "I am sleeping over at Sakura's place tonight, but I was on my way to meet up with her so we could hang out until then."

"Oh... damn." He ran for nothing. "...How about tomorrow?"

Ino raised an eyebrow, and smiled. It was obvious where he was going with this. Still, she figured she would have a little fun.

"Hmmm... let's say I don't have any plans for tomorrow. What would happen between you and I?"

Chouji had caught his breath from running. Now there was nothing to mask his nerve-ridden answer.

"Well... you and I would go out together to do something." Chouji felt like an idiot.

"'Do something?'" When he heard Ino repeat his words, Chouji KNEW he was an idiot.

Honestly, the blonde kunoichi liked that Chouji was being so bold with her. She thought that he would be tripping all over his words by now. Granted, his choice of words was amateur at best.

"And what do you mean by 'doing something'?"

"Well, you know... I was thinking we could go some place to just... hang out." Chouji figured his word choice was perfect. Not too direct, but still an obvious hint.

"Buuutt, didn't we hang out just the other day?"

She placed her left hand on her chin and tapped her index finger against her cheek as she questioned him. Ino was far from stupid... though her vain, romance-centered and loud personality caused many to believe otherwise. She had a certain mastery of mind games, both through her jutsus on the battlefield of combat and through her sly ways on the battlefield of love. She was so good at it that she could make it completely clear to someone that she was messing with their minds, and the person would still allow it to happen. This was one such case. She spoke to Chouji with an over-exaggerated air of ignorance and badly-performed mellow drama. Chouji knew that he was being toyed with but yet he played right along with the game, going through the motions of nervousness and anxiety. Such was the power of the Yamanaka clan. It went far beyond some mental projection technique.

"Well, yeah we did. But, I was thinking something a bit more..."

Chouji trailed off in the middle of his sentence. He pulled his eyes to the ground, watching the dust spring upward as he kicked hard against the ground with every step. His teammate walked ahead of him, and stopped suddenly. Ino made sure that he would look at her feet if he refused to look at her face. Chouji stopped moving as well and picked up his head slowly. During the feet-to-face transition, the genin took in his gorgeous friend's... gorgeousness in a way he never took it in before. He possibly was never able to take it in before because, in the past, Ino would hurt him if he ever looked at her body for this long. Her delicate shins, simple but somehow sexy knees, thighs accentuated by the bandages... Chouji couldn't figure out for the life of him why Shika considered her 'bony'. Sure, she was thin... but she was hardly 'bony'. Her beautiful hips made sure of that. They were wide, but not too wide... Chouji couldn't quite get the right word for them. Was it 'shapely'? No... maybe 'curvy'... He supposed 'womanly' was a perfect way to describe Ino's hips. They were very 'womanly' for a pre-teen, as were many parts of his teammate. His eyes rode the dark-blue train of Ino's dress all the way to her chest... he decided to skip her chest before he started slobbering all over himself. The final destination was the eyes... which were indescribable. It was like staring into sparkling pools of topaz-blue water. Her pools of topaz suddenly vanished and re-appeared under her eye lids as she blinked slowly, causing her eye-lashes to wave at her chubby teammate.

"A bit more... what?" The peep show was over.

"A bit more private..." Chouji would've done anything for a bag of chips at this very moment. His beady eyes darted various directions around Ino.

"Why, Chouji!" There went the mellow drama again. "You wouldn't be asking your teammate out on a date, now would you?!"

"A-and what if I am?" Chouji attempted to take control of Ino's game, remembering Shika's warnings and not wanting to 'wear the skirt' any longer.

Ino giggled, as she had been doing often around him. There were so many fun places she could have taken that comment, but decided to drop her game for the moment. She figured Chouji deserved a definite answer, so she would cut him a break. She was very much into his moments of boldness in the midst of the shyness. It was cute.

"Hmmm... I'll let you know tomorrow." Well, maybe not a 'definite' answer. "I'll have to think about the ethics of dating a teammate tonight!"

Chouji didn't look too thrilled at all. By nature he was an impatient man and abhorred the thought of having to wait for an answer. Honestly, he would have felt better if she just said 'no'. He was used to rejection from his childhood and was well-equipped to heal the hurt that came with it. Rejection he can handle... but anticipation was a bitch.

He pouted, but he would not offer any other objection. He was afraid that if he demanded an answer right there on the spot, he would scare her away with too much forwardness. He sighed.

"Fine. I'll come by your house tomorrow at around 3PM. Have your answer for me by then."

"Sounds good."

She turned her eyes to the large apartment complex that was a block away in distance. Ino was running to the apartment before she noticed Chouji in hopes of catching up with her friend. Maybe Sakura was still at home. She looked back to Chouji.

"Now, I really have to go... No more following me!" She winked before running down the road again.

Chouji instantly dived into the nearest food stand, and barked his demands to the cooks loudly. The cooks went to work immediately. It would take a lot of snacking to satisfy his starving impatience.

Akamaru was in heaven. He wagged his tail in ecstasy and panted longingly while saliva pooled beneath his head. Sakura simply smiled and continued to rummage her fingers through the fur on the top and bottom of his head endlessly.

"Are you ever going to let him go? You've been at it for 4 minutes, and we have some exploring to do!" Kiba was getting a little impatient.

"You-are-so-cute!!!" Sakura laughed. She continued ignoring Kiba by giving Akamaru all the love and attention he was obviously missing, considering he lived with such a rude master.

Kiba sighed. "Yeah yeah, we get it. He's cute, he's adorable, you love him, yada yada yada NOW LET HIM GO ALREADY!!!"

Sakura gritted her teeth and revealed a horrific glare of pupil-less eyes toward the annoying genin while she continued to play with Akamaru. Kiba kept the impatient attitude, but decided to be quiet for now.

"Hmmm, you like it when I scratch you there, don't you boy?"

Akamaru barked his head off in response. He immediately rolled on his back to Sakura's surprise, and revealed his belly to her... The kunoichi got the hint. She began to run her hand over the dog's belly as his left leg twitched spasmodically.

A wad of sweat fell down Kiba's neck within his jacket. "_Akamaru... you pervert_."

"Ah! So now you reveal your weak spot!" Sakura grinned wickedly.

Kiba decided to take a seat on the steps leading to the apartment complex in frustration.

"Akamaru is getting so big! He seems to have grown even more since last week." Sakura spoke to Kiba like she never heard a word of complaint from him. Perhaps she was waiting for him to settle down. "In another year you'll probably be able to ride on his back!"

"Hah! Yeah right!"

Akamaru whimpered in disappointment when Sakura stopped rubbing his belly and walked over to sit beside Kiba. She rested her elbows on her knees, and turned to Kiba.

"So... what's up?" She asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean 'what's up'. I rarely ever see you and your team training together anymore."

"Oh... well, Shino is always on weird missions with his dad... I think he returns from one of those missions today." Akamaru ran to Sakura's side to remind her that he was still there, but it was in vain. Sakura listened as Kiba spoke on. "And Kurenai sensei has been busy doing missions herself."

"Oh... So, what do you and Hinata do while Shino and Kurenai are gone?"

"What difference does it make?" Kiba still wanted to leave for the mountains as soon as possible. An attitude developed on Sakura's face.

"It's called a 'conversation', stupid!"

"Why the hell do you suddenly want to start asking questions now? You never cared before!!" Kiba shot back.

"Exactly..." Kiba calmed down when he heard Sakura's soft answer. "You and I never talk, and I wanted to change that."

"Oh. Sorry..." He was never much for tact.

"Its no problem."

Kiba was a little taken by her smile. It probably didn't mean anything on her end, but girls so rarely smiled at him... and he always thought Sakura was pretty cute. He grinned back... and then frowned suddenly. First, he felt his salivary glands beginning to put in over-time. Then, he felt his nose twitch a little before the scent hit him like a legion of hornets. The aroma of something that smelt close to cherries ran so forcefully into his nose that he thought he would get a nose-bleed from it. The pain of those sweet cherries sent him on his feet, cupping his nose in defense. His eyes were beginning to bug outward.

"Kiba?!?"

Sakura got up, and walked closer to him... further cramming the cherries up his nostril. Akamaru ran in front of Kiba and began to bark in his defense. He hated to do this to Sakura after the erotic massage he got from her, but he would not allow anyone to threaten his master.

"STAY BACK!!" Kiba shouted. Sakura jumped back a little, bewilderment and worry all over her face. Kiba tried to explain it to her in the best way possible. "My nose-"

"What's going on here?"

Sakura and Kiba turned to see Ino walking toward them. Akamaru growled at her.

"Why are you holding your nose, Fido?" It was a name she decided to give to Kiba a while ago. A shocking thought came to her mind. "D-don't tell me your training with The Fifth too!"

"No, he isn't..." Sakura still looked at Kiba with great worry and mystery. She was almost in a battle stance as she noted the damage Akamaru could do in defense of Kiba. She narrowed her eyes a little. "What were you saying about your nose?"

Kiba's attention was now on the blue and purple swirls that danced before his vision. He felt light-headed. By the time Ino arrived, he couldn't fully make out her comments. Her speech came out slurred and was accompanied by a booming sound of 'emptiness'. Sakura's natural scent had hit him, but it was Ino's strong perfume that was going for the KO. He felt his knees buckling... it didn't take him too long to figure out he had to get away from these smelly girls before he passed out.

Without saying a word, Kiba jumped high into air, released the strangle hold he had on his tormented nose, grabbed hold of a branch of a nearby tree, and swung himself upward so he stood on the branch. He snapped his fingers, and Akamaru followed on the ground as his master hopped from rooftop-to-rooftop. The girls were speechless.

"... What do you think that was about?"

Ino rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth. "Who cares? I always knew he was a freak."

"Hmm." Sakura looked into the distance.

"Anyways, lets go." Ino touched Sakura's shoulder. The pink-haired genin turned from her thoughts to her friend's grin. "There are a few things I learned while training in the past few weeks that I have been dying to show you!"

"Fine..."

The two walked off. Ino screamed out when she realized she stepped in a small pond of drool... _presumably_ Akamaru's drool.


	13. Chapter 13

They had both finally caught their breaths. He wondered if she even noticed the change in the atmosphere. It didn't seem so. She went about the sparring area so happily and so unaware. She looked so innocent. He could practically hear her humming a nursery rhyme in his imagination. Damn her. If only if she meditated... if only her mind wasn't so... if only her heart wasn't so set on him, surely she would have picked it up in the air. Damn her for being so stupid. Why did she have to make this even harder for him? She SHOULD HAVE noticed it. It should have made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. It should have prepared her exposed heart, and caused her to lock it into her chest beneath a steel breastplate. It should have made her nervous, as it crept into her soul. It should have made her aware of the impending pain. But the damned fool couldn't feel it... She couldn't feel the murderous intent suddenly take hold of the air. Neji could... of course he could. The murderous intent was coming from him.

"Hehee."

Tenten giggled and smiled at him, attempting to brush her hair to the back of her ears again. Her brown curtains were quite unruly and disobedient when they weren't confined into braids and buns.

"I wish I never threw those hair pins at you. I looked over the whole area, and I can't find them anywhere!"

"It was worth you losing them." Stupid girl. He was standing right in front of her, but she didn't notice the difference in his voice. "I never seen you push yourself the way you did today... You were incredible."

Tenten's 'timidity' sprang up, and 'discipline' backed it up. In fact, those were the only things keeping her from jumping on top of Neji right now and kissing him to 'properly thank him' for that sweet compliment. Pushing her body to the limit didn't make a lick of difference. If anything, it made the inward fire worse... Words couldn't describe how much she wanted him right now. She **had** to get him out of this Manor.

"... Still couldn't catch you though." She dropped her head, and began to rock back and forth from the balls of her feet to the tips of her toes.

From that one comment, Neji could feel the waves of desire that were being thrown his way. He could feel her, so why couldn't she feel him? Neji's frustration had built up to sorrow, been torn down, and then built back up as frustration again several times over. His eyes were wide open, and hers couldn't be anymore shut... he could even feel Hiashi's presence enter the edge of the sparring square some distance off from behind him. He could feel how his uncle was standing right now... his hands crossed and folded into his sleeves, his lavender eyes overlooking the execution... if, for nothing else, to make sure she was really dead when the proceeding was over. Neji didn't need the Byakugan to see this... Tenten, who was standing in plain view of Hiashi in the distance, didn't even notice he was there. ALL she had to do was take her focus off of him for one damn second, lift up her head, and she would see him... but she didn't. It was not like her to be so aloof...

"Kay..." Tenten did a poor job masking her urgency. "I think we can leave now. I have plenty of hair pins at home, so don't worry about them!"

Panic had seized Neji's throat, and it was like a bitter snake sliding down to his belly. Regretfully, the proceeding was about to begin... And heavens knows the proceeding was going to hurt her like all hell. If only she would have prepared herself for this! But now, it was too late. Neji was about to stab deeply into Tenten, and she didn't have any medical kit to heal the wound afterwards. Howbeit, he remembered why he was killing her, and strengthened himself in the cause.

"Tenten" he tried so very hard to swallow that lump in the back of his throat. He spoke plainly. "I'm not going with you."

Tenten looked a little confused. Maybe he was more tired from the training then he was letting on.

"Why not?"

"I..." Dammit! The words refused to come out.

"_Just as I suspected! He is too tired from training with me to go out tonight, and he doesn't want to admit it... That must be it. Men are such babies! Well, I'll make it easy for him._"

"Don't worry about it!" Tenten smiled. "We will take a rest for today, and I guess we can go out tomorrow."

Neji sighed deeper then he ever did in his life. Sadness had finally twisted his face visibly.

"What's wrong?" She didn't like the sound of the sigh at all.

Nothing was going right today. His plan was to kill TenTen with one swift and powerful blow. He wanted to do this by immediately blurting out the situation to her, giving her no chance to talk, and then saying good-bye. But, he had delayed too many times for that approach. He had had to kill her slowly now, stressing out the details and reasons behind the proceeding. Neji sighed once more, but this time it was a sigh of acceptance. He forced himself to stare into her eyes when he wanted to stare away.

"We can't do this anymore."

"W-we can't do what anymore?!?"

Her distressed exclamation of the question made it clear that she was starting to get it. Neji wondered if her heart broke right there... He wondered if it broke right under the anxiety and twisted anticipation of knowing that the answer to your question was the one thing you feared the most.

"'This', what we were planning to do... we can't do it anymore... We can't see each other anymore."

"Oh."

Neji watched in anguish as her head dropped down to her neck. Her eyes weren't exactly looking at the ground. They appeared to be hovering around Neji's leg area. She looked weary and troubled like she just saw the death of her best friend... she looked scared above all else.

"..."

O, if the sky itself didn't collapse on the both of them at that moment! It seemed the horror of Neji's words loomed above their heads, and forced them both downward. The words just... stayed there. They wouldn't go away. The words tormented them, and made them eat the knowledge of all that they meant continually. Both of them clenched their fists, and refused to shed a tear... neither of them would give this awful day the pleasure of seeing them cry. Instead, the tears floated in some unseen spot in their bodies, where it was translated into heaviness.

Neji felt despicable. He wanted to look strong for Tenten... he wanted to be her example today, like he had been so many times before. He wanted to be the guy she could look to for encouragement, like so many times before. He so badly wanted to be her standard, her unreachable goal, her angel far in the heavens above her, the butterfly she couldn't catch, her magician... He wasn't supposed to be the one with his head down. He was supposed to be the strong one. But now, she had to see him just as low and down as she was at this very moment. And when she realized that Neji was just as human as she was, she would realize that there was no one to build her back up. They were both in pieces... He couldn't stand to see her in such pain. She wasn't supposed to feel what he felt this morning. The death shouldn't have hurt her this much. He was supposed to execute her quickly and then be there to assure that at least she had a beautiful funeral. This funeral was a disaster. He didn't kill her properly. He was a terrible killer. He marveled that he was so successful in keeping his tears from gushing forth.

It was so stupid to begin with... all of it. It was just one stupid date. She couldn't believe herself! She couldn't believe her heart... why did it hurt so much? She wondered how she didn't prepare herself for this hurt. Two times did Neji come close to crushing her heart just yesterday... well, they say the third times a charm. Though Tenten couldn't believe it could hurt this much, here she was... standing there, feeling her lungs fill with despair in every breath. It was like the hurt was tearing apart her body in order to punish it for ever longing for Neji. She felt sick, then tired, and even a little dizzy. And the more and more she tried to deny it... the more she tried to deny that she was heart-broken... the more she tried to deny that Neji meant THIS much to her...

Neji instantly reached out his hand to her face, and wiped away the first tear that fell. It would appear she wasn't strong enough to defy the day.

"Please don't cry." Neji pleaded with her with his eyes closed and his face blackened with grief.

And then, like the darkness falls upon an unsuspecting sun in the evening, Neji and Tenten crumbled in each other's arms. She cast her arms around her comrade and sobbed silently against his shoulder. Neji shut his eyes tighter as he embraced his comrade, the fragments of his heart left being smashed even further every time he felt her lungs pant for air.

Hiashi, off in the distance, bowed his head in some undefined emotion from the scene.

Ironically, and perhaps tragically, Tenten didn't feel the least bit of peace or departure from the pain until she fell into Neji's arms. When the kunoichi embraced the one who had put her through such anguish in the past few seconds, tears of relief washed away the sobs of pain. She hated every second of this... and, like most people who wind up in situations that they hate to be in, a question finally burst out of her bleeding heart.

"W-why?"

She spoke into his shoulder. He gave no answer. She realized that she whimpered the question so weakly it was inaudible. She was ashamed of herself afresh. WHEN exactly did she become the sheepish damsel in distress? She was a ninja. She was stronger then this. That was enough of this crying business... With some ounce of reserved strength in her spirit, Tenten pushed herself away from the embrace, quickly wiped away the newest batch of tears from her cheek and took a huge breath. She straightened her face as best as she could. She posed the question again.

"Why?"

Neji finally opened his eyes, revealing his glassy lavenders. His embrace with Tenten did more for him then she probably figured. He felt like he had siphoned some strength from the tears that moistened his shoulder. He too had remembered who he was... and he remembered what he had to finish here for both of their sake. He felt he would be able to explain it to her the way he would explain an ambush strategy before a mission. He felt comfortable.

"You mean so much to me, Tenten... Too much, in fact."

Tenten remained silent, focusing on his leg area like before.

"If we allow this relationship to grow any further, you will mean more to me then anything else in my life. ANYTHING ELSE... including my obligation to both Konoha and my clan... This I cannot allow."

"..."

"I know you and I would like to imagine that we can have each other and become all that we aspire to be as Shinobi... That we can enjoy ourselves and accomplish our goals... but we are just kidding ourselves."

Neji looked for Tenten to start agreeing with him, but it wasn't coming. This was beginning to trouble him. He put a little pressure on her.

"Do you understand me, Tenten?"

"Yes..."

She answered a bit too quickly... Neji continued.

"I know you have thought about your own dreams of becoming great like the 5th... As long as you are focused on me and not your training, this will never happen.

"... I know." She answered with hesitation. Good. His words must be hitting home.

"... We both must focus on training, Tenten... these years of our lives are too important to spend them aimlessly. You have incredible aim... and I could never forgive myself if I were responsible for throwing your aim off... and I doubt you could ever forgive me for throwing it off either."

"... I guess you spoke it over with your uncle before making this decision?"

It took a broken heart to bring back her sight. She finally noticed Hiashi standing off in the distance. Her question didn't have a hint of bitterness toward Hiashi. She was beginning to pull herself together. Neji was so proud of her.

"Yes... but it was ultimately my decision." Neji would have to ponder on just how true this really was later on.

"Oh... okay."

"Now I want it to be your decision..."

More tears fell from Tenten's eyes at that statement. Tenten didn't even attempt to mask that this decision wasn't easy for her to make in the least. She sniffed back her sobs.

"I... love you so much, Neji."

She finally admitted, actually smiling through the tears. Neji turned his head for a moment and allowed his hair to curtain the side of his face. Tenten didn't mind.

"I-I don't know how I can just throw that away..."

"We are not throwing anything away!" Neji turned around immediately and exclaimed it more to himself then to Tenten. "This is just a temporary separation. We can begin seeing each other in 3 years."

"3 years?!" Neji wasn't quite sure if the inflection of Tenten's question was one of grief or relief. It didn't matter.

"Yes... that was the amount of time given me."

"So, it is a tradition of your clan..."

"Yes..."

Had it been a few seconds ago in the beginning of the conversation she may have voiced an objection. As clearness came back into her eyes and mind, she remained silent. She dare not disrespect the ways of the Hyuuga Clan. So... she remained silent.

"My uncle believes that our training will peak at that point, and we will have accomplished all of our goals in life. My uncle is a wise man... I believe him."

"Will you wait for me?"

"Yes, of course!" she laughed a bit at the absurdity of the question, but the laugh was short-lived. The ever-present pain smothered it.

"Thank you." Neji attempted to smile, but only for a moment. The ever-present pain blackened it.

…

"...I should get going then."

As horrible as it was to stand before him... she dreaded the thought of leaving him. She wanted him by his side to continue to inwardly curse the day with him. She wanted to continue to suffer with him... just a little longer.

"Yes... I'll see you tomorrow..."

Neji refused to finish the sentence with 'for training'. He also refused to turn and walk away until she did first. He wanted to watch her walk away from her... he wanted to protect her from the sorrow of the day until the very end.

Tenten surprisingly moved close to Neji's face, her eyes sick with love. Neji had a feeling she would attempt this. He knew that she would want to kiss him at least once before their time away from each other began. He knew it would be hard to turn away from her when it happened... But he did. Not at all surprising to him, disappointing her further was the only thing that went as Neji planned today.

Tenten swiftly dropped her head as Neji dodged the kiss, leaving her lips to touch his hair.

"Sorry, Tenten... but-"

"It would only make things harder."

She finished his sentence as her loose brown hair covered her eyes completely. She lifted up her head, and didn't attempt to push her hair behind her ears again. She simply moved them just so her eyes were seen.

She turned her eyes toward Hiashi, whose eyes locked on to her. His right judgment and purity of his cause preceded his stare. Tenten immediately bowed her head in reverence to the Head of The Hyuuga Clan and in acceptance of his profession.

Hiashi bowed back. He tried to conceal his happiness as he knew the girl must have been in much pain. The truth was he was very happy... He realized that his honorable woman was going to be his niece-in-law someday.

The kunoichi then turned her back to Neji and walked out of the main doors of the Hyuuga Manor.

Neji remained in the sparring square for a moment before storming into his own chambers in the Branch House area of the Manor. Hiashi didn't attempt to say a word to him as he passed by. He honestly wouldn't know what to say... He had never seen that look on his nephew's face since the day Neji saw the dead body of his father as a child.

The Hyuuga servants began to pick up the countless weapons that littered the broken sparring square.


	14. Chapter 14

She winced in pain and shut her eyes tight as her chin was viciously forced upward.

"Stop being such a baby... it's your fault for not taking care of it."

She wrapped the uneven, light-pink threads about her index and middle finger three times... which was way too much. For this irresponsible girl's hairstyle, she should have only been able to do it two times. And that was just the tip of this ugly iceberg. Things got reeealllly messy as she continued to examine her hair. Split ends, slight discoloration, and even dandruff from her dry scalp. To be her age and still not able to grasp the concept of personal hygiene was inexcusable. Sigh... why was she cursed with such a retard for a friend?

"Will you cut it already!?"

Why was she cursed with such a retard for a friend? All she asked her to do was give her a little touch up, but somewhere along the line she must have gotten confused. This 'pig' was yanking down hard on her hair for a few seconds now. She hated more then anything for her hair to be pulled.

"I told you to stop whining! I'm almost done. And quit fidgeting, unless you want my hand to slip."

Ino picked up the kunai that lay beside her on the bed of light pink sheets. She sat up with her shins against the mattress and leaned forward against Sakura's back and into her filthy hair.

"And you **are** going to wash her hair later tonight!"

"I'll wash my hair when I'm good and ready. Now stop talking and start cutting!!!"

Sakura's bare left leg shook uncontrollably while she grabbed a "foot-full" of the fabric of her carpet by curling up her toes. It didn't help at all that Ino was stronger then she appeared. It felt like she was trying to rip her hair clean out of the roots... which wasn't a bad idea to Ino, considering how annoying Sakura was when it came to these hair cuts.

She put the kunai against Sakura's stretched out hair. Because her friend wore her pink hair like a lion's mane, precise measurement wasn't at all necessary. She pulled down harder against her hair with her entangled index and middle finger as she forced the kunai to tear through by pulling it back towards her. It wasn't a smooth process. It was more the force of Ino's pull then the actual blade that did the cutting. Sakura winced once more as the muscles of her face tensed all at once for a split second. She made sure to show Sakura the strands of hair that were taken from her scalp. Ino twirled the pink threads around her fingers in front of her friend to remind her of what a baby she was.

"See! That wasn't so bad was it, little girl?"

"Shut up."

Sakura snatched the loose hair out of her grasp and walked over to the trash can across her small room.

Although getting her best friend bent out of shape always brought a smile to her face, Ino had to admit that this was one lame sleep-over. She felt more alive during some mission briefings then she felt right now. There was no 'girly vibe' in the air at all... and it seemed to Ino that Sakura intended that it be that way. She noted that her friend had removed all the dolls and assorted stuffed animals from her bed, leaving only two pillows encased in light pink that were about as soft as a boulder. The diary and hair/face supplies that once rested on the dresser were replaced by a single shuriken and a weathered medical book. The light-pink walls had been re-painted a mundane off-white, and the posters of various teddy bear mascots had all but been banished from the wall. She could have at least replaced the "little girl paraphernalia" with blown-up posters of hot guys like Ino

did with her room. Ino noted traces of the adhesive substance that was left on the wall after Sakura had peeled off the heart stickers that once covered the ceiling... It was true that Ino had not spent the night over her friend's house since they were 9, but this place was all wrong. It was anti-cute. Anything that had a "cuteness factor" exceeding 1.5 had to be eliminated from this room. Even her night clothing lacked the necessary girliness to make this an official 'sleep-over'. Sakura simply had on a white t-shirt that was slightly

over-sized as a top, and her usual black trunks as a bottom. That was it. Ino, on the other hand, made sure she brought her baby-blue pajama bottoms decorated with tiny yellow stars. She completed the outfit with a baby-blue tank-top that completely matched with her pajamas. It wasn't an easy feat to find two completely separate articles of clothing that went so well together, and Ino was proud of that. It was a shame that the glory of her sleeping ware was wasted on this dreadful room. The only thing that was remotely cute in the room was a picture of Sasuke clinging on the corner of Sakura's mirror. Ino knew she would have to work hard to initiate the girly antics that were expected of sleep-overs in this barren land... but she was up to the challenge.

As Sakura made her way back to the mattress Ino stood up and walked over to the window. Sakura lived on the third floor of the apartment so Ino could always a gain a sense of excitement from just staring out of it. She yawned in front of the window before her eyes zeroed in on her new prey. It was a jounin she had never seen before who appeared to be in charge of lighting the street lanterns tonight. Even from three

stories up Ino's eyes devoured his rugged face from the glow of the flaming torch. She was practically licking her lips from the thought of what his might taste like.

"MMMMmmm, and what do we have here..."

"Who are you looking at now?" Sakura knew what that call meant. She made her way to the window, and looked over Ino's shoulder.

"Who is THAT?" Ino questioned with a blinding glimmer in her eyes.

"Oh... him." Sakura spoke longingly, with a hint of a glimmer in her eyes as well. "His name is Nezumi. He has a shift standing guard at the Hokage's office every now and then."

"...He looks yummy."

"Yeeeahh... he's even cuter up close!"

They both shot forth their sparkling stares at the man as he went on lighting the lanterns.

"Awww, you are so lucky! And to think, I actually felt sorry for you when I heard about what you go through with the fifth!"

Sakura grinned at Ino.

"I know!"

"I think you should ask him out!"

Sakura sighed with pity. Such a foolish girl.

"Idiot. He's more then half my age! Besides, he spends most of the time at the office staring at the Hokage-sama's breasts."

Sakura turned away from Ino for one moment, but that was all it took. She saw the blonde opening the window from the corner of her eyes, saw the blonde open her mouth to speak from an angle of her vision, and was frozen in shock as the blonde finally shouted out the window.

"HEY, NEZUMI-KUN!!! SAKURA IS UP HERE... AND SHE THINKS YOU'RE CUTE! SHE WANTS TO KNOW IF YOU WANT TO HANG OUT WITH HER SOMETIME!!"

Sakura had never shoved anything so since Naruto had left for his training. She heard the peace-shattering thud of her best friends back hitting the thin wall as she slammed the window shut with her head turned away from Nezumi's view. She yanked the curtains over the window and glared at Ino with cheeks swollen blood-red. Sakura suddenly wished she had pushed her harder... the little tramp was actually laughing!

There she was, back against the wall, holding the back of her head from the impact, and laughing her bitchy head off.

**"IIINNNOOO-PPPIIIIGGG!!!!!!!" **

The pupil-less eyes and demonic tone was nothing new to Ino. She began holding her sides in pain from her high-pitched laughter.

Ino continued to laugh as Sakura stormed over to her location, and gripped her neck firmly with both hands. Eerily, her laughter was only stifled slightly as Sakura choked off her air-supply.

"STOP LAUGHING, YOU STUPID PIG! THAT WASN'T FUNNY! HOW AM I GOING TO LOOK HIM IN THE FACE THE NEXT TIME I SEE HIM? I'LL KILL

**YOU!!!!!!!**"

"**WILL YOU GIRLS SETTLE DOWN IN THERE! SOME OF US ARE TRYING TO SLEEP!!!**" An irritated voice answered the roaring laughter and attempts at homicide through the very thin walls.

"SORRY DAD!"

Sakura responded with a look of regret in her eyes. Because Ino was so loud, she couldn't kill her just yet. The Haruno child released her grip around Ino's neck, and marched angrily back to her bed. She fell on top of it, and turned her face from Ino.

Ino continued to laugh in a lowered voice, tears pouring from her eyes.

"... Yeah, just keep laughing." Sakura hissed toward Ino.

"hee hee hee-**I'm so**-hee hee-**sorry, Sakura**!"

"No, I don't mind at all. Have your fun now... I'll make sure you regret this some day."

Ino finally gained some control over herself. It was an awful trick to play, but the kunoichi was sure it was very necessary. The atmosphere was now perfect for some girly antics. Through embarrassing her Ino had brought out the 'inner girly girl' that Sakura had tried to throw away. Her friend needed to feel like a little girl again. She had denied that

side of her too long with all the training and healing sessions she endured with the Fifth. Ino felt it was high time for her to take a break from being a diligent shinobi. It was time for them to have a real sleep-over.

"Sakura, I was just kidding! You can tell him we were just playing a stupid game when you see him."

"I can tell him that, OR I can tell him you said that because you're a stupid little tramp." She spoke nonchalantly. "That would be the truth."

"Now Now Sakura, there's no need for such name-calling. You said you would get me back right?"

Sakura didn't say a word. Ino lay down on the bed next to her. They were both lying on the sides of their bodies, and were both facing each other. Ino smiled. Sakura maintained a vicious countenance. Ino's face began to scrunch up as she attempted to contain her laughter again.

"But you should have seen the look on Nezumi's face, Sakura! It was so funny!"

"Oh, shut up!" Sakura was grinning to her regret, and pushed her friend by the shoulder for her comment. Damn. She wasn't mad at her anymore.

They both enjoyed a cooperative giggle. They sighed deeply and looked at each other. Sakura recognized what Ino was trying to do by playing that dumb joke, and she was almost grateful for it. She had brought some life into their sleep-over... of course, Sakura would still make her pay for that.

"I know." Sakura suddenly pulled herself up and sat with crossed-legs on her bed. It was her turn to contribute to their little party. "Let's play that game!"

"What game?" Ino kept her legs in the same position against the bed, but supported her torso upward by pressing her palms against the mattress.

"You know the game I'm talking about!" A provocative grin came to Sakura's face. "THAT game..."

"Oh!" Ino giggled when she became wise to her friends suggestion. "But we played that game before! I remember who we picked last time."

"So what? We were 8 the last time we played that game, so I'm sure our 'preferences' have changed since then."

Sakura had a good point.

"Okay, fine... I pick the first pair. The rules are the same as before. We pick the first one that comes to our minds, and then we have to explain why we picked them. Are you ready?"

Sakura grabbed a nearby pillow, and then nodded her head.

"Okay... Akira or Hateki?"

**"Hateki!"** Ino and Sakura both shouted at the same time.

"Okay, you explain why first." Ino spoke.

"Hmm... because Akira is too much of a pretty boy. It was cute when we were in the Academy, but I think I've outgrown that." Sakura explained. "Now your turn!"

"I picked him Hateki for the same reason you did. Akira looks too "fancy" for me. I like more weathered and mature faces like Hateki's."

"Okay." Sakura thought of her pairing of boys for a moment. "Hmmm... I'll go with the special jounin! Genma or Aoba?"

"Genma!" shouted Sakura.

"Aoba!" shouted Ino.

"I say Aoba because he looks so cool in those shades... like a mysterious rebel. He's hot."

"Ha! Those shades make him look stupid. I think he's trying too hard to be cool. Genma is much sexier!" Sakura shot back.

Ino sighed at her friends' lack of taste, and thought of another group of guys to judge.

"Hmmm... what do you say we go with the guys that we know on a more personal level?" Ino dared Sakura with the question.

The pink-haired girl hesitated for a moment. "Sure, why not?"

"Okay... how about... Shino or Kiba?!"

"Kiba!" Sakura shouted out.

"Shino!" Ino shouted out.

"Eww..." Ino gave her fired a puzzled look. "I HAVE to hear your explanation first."

"Well... first off he really is pretty good-looking when he takes pulls down his hood... and... that 'tough guy' act he puts on is really cute." Sakura looked down a bit. "And he has this kind of "ferocity" to him, like an animal. You can't deny that it's attractive!"

"Like hell, I can't!" Ino shot back "Speak for yourself... I think Fido is gross. His tough guy act is annoying."

"Okay, now its your turn to explain why you picked Shino."

"3 words... Tall, dark and handsome!" Ino's heart was practically pulsating through her eyes.

"Handsome? You can't even see his face with the huge collar and the shades." Sakura spoke flatly.

"Hmmm... I see that your eyes are still very much 'un-trained'." Ino joked. "You can tell a guy is handsome by something as simple as the shape of his cheek bones. Shino IS handsome... and so silent... and so mysterious! He's dreamy!!!!"

Sakura rolled her eyes, and continued the game.

"Okay... now lets do some guys from a different village! Kankuro or Gaara?"

**"Gaara..."** they both spoke lamely.

This would usually be the part where Ino divulged all the information she had concerning Shikamaru and Temari, but she was genuinely sorry about what happened in the restaurant earlier. She never saw her laid-back teammate so stressed out over her taunts. It was best if she changed the subject completely to avoid any temptation to gossip.

"That was a no-brainer, Sakura. We don't even have to give our reasons. Pick something harder next time!"

"Well then you do better!" Sakura exclaimed.

"Fine, I will... hmmm... how about Gai Sensei or Kakashi sensei?"

"Kakashi sensei!" Shouted Ino.

"Gai sensei!" Shouted Sakura.

"WHAT??!?!!?" Ino couldn't believe her ears.

"You heard right. I choose Gai sensei."

"Explain yourself!"

"His body is much more well-toned and defined then Kakashi sensei's. He has a beautiful smile. He has nice skin. He's very energetic..."

"Don't forget goofy."

"There's nothing wrong with being goofy!" Sakura defended her choice rigorously. "I like when a guy is willing to make a fool of himself every once in a while. I find it charming.. and I think I'm beginning to see it as a major turn-on!"

"... You're not the Sakura I remember."

"Shut up! Why did you choose Kakashi sensei?"

"Do you even have to ask? He's smooth, mysterious, has a very sexy voice, and he is easily one of the hottest guys in Konoha."

"And how do you know he's hot? He never takes off that mask."

"I already told you... women with eyes for men know which one's are hot and which one's aren't hot."

"Hmph. Maybe its different because Kakashi is my sensei. Its... awkward to look at him in that way."

"It shouldn't be."

"Oh really? Then how about this... Gai Sensei or Asuma Sensei?"

"Gai sensei!" Sakura shouted.

"Asuma sensei!" Ino shouted out matter-of-factly.

"I chose Gai for the same reasons as before... I think your just picking your sensei to try and prove me wrong." Sakura spoke plainly.

"No! I always thought Asuma sensei was pretty cute. He has a very rugged, 'manly' physique; I like the structure of his jaw, his beard is very sexy, and I can tell he's romantic by the way he always buys roses for Kurenai Sensei."

"So... its true then?"

"Of course it is!" Ino smiled.

"Wow... Well, they do a good job of keeping it a secret."

"You didn't hear it from me!"

They both laughed at their thoughts.

"Okay." Ino went back to the game." This one is kind of lame, but who do you think will be cuter when they get older? Konohamaru or Udon?"

"Konohamaru!" shouted Sakura.

"Udon!" shouted Ino

"I pick Udon because glasses usually make a man look almost twice as sexy as they normally would look. Once Udon hits the age of 12 he'll lose the baby face and finally wipe his nose. He's definitely going to be very cute then." Ino explained first.

"I chose Konohamaru because-"

"I know why you chose him." Ino cut her friend off. She spoke with a smile and didn't mince her words. "You chose him because he reminds you of Naruto, and you probably think he will sort of look like him when he gets older!"

Sakura blushed as Ino giggled. They decided to leave it at that.

"Anyway..." Sakura broke the silence. "Lets do the fathers now! Shino's dad or Shikamaru's dad?"

"**SHIKAMARU'S DAD!!!!**"

Both of them had hearts pounding within their eyes as they made their declaration. They laughed loudly and had to cover their mouths so they didn't wake Sakura's dad.

"Shino's dad isn't ugly or anything." Ino admitted. "But you can't compete with Shikaku's scars."

"Agreed. There is nothing sexier then those face scars."

"And then there's that cute goatee."

"Yeah." Sakura put her hands to her cheeks as a cheesy smile overtook her face. "That Shikaku is just..."

"MMM... tell me about it!"

They both sighed longingly.

"Next we will examine our upper-classmen! ... Neji or Lee?" Ino questioned.

"Neji!" Ino shouted.

"... Rock Lee" Sakura prepared herself for Ino's attack.

Ino didn't say a word. She simply gave Sakura a worried look.

"Okkkkaayyy... for both of our sakes, I'll explain why Neji was the right answer." Ino spoke on. "First, there is that beautiful long flowing hair. Second, his face is perfect. Third, his body is rock-hard and simply amazing. Fourth, he has that sexy attitude where it seems like nothing can stop him... Neji is unbelievably hot... Your turn!"

"Well..." Sakura looked down for at her toes for a moment. "I know all that stuff is true about Neji, but he doesn't strike me as 'boyfriend material'. I can't see myself having a good time with him. Lee is different. He's a lot like Gai sensei. He has that goofiness about him that I'm starting to love so much. He also has that same determination

where it seems like nothing can stop him... and I think he would go to great lengths to make his girlfriend happy. I like that. Besides... Lee has a pretty sexy body too! You can see his muscles bulge from the spandex he wears!"

"Not like Neji's... when they all came back from that mission a year ago Neji was in ICU. I accidentally peaked into his room, thinking it was Chouji's room. THAT's when I saw Neji's body with his shirt off... Lee's body doesn't compare."

"Well, have you ever seen Rock Lee with his shirt off?"

"No, but trust me. I don't have to."

"Hmph. Whatever..."

"You know..." Time to gossip. "I heard from Ayame that Neji was very close to Tenten's house just yesterday... and that he was 'holding' Tenten!"

"No way." Sakura said immediately.

"Ayame isn't the type to make something like this up."

"Neji and Tenten... I definitely didn't see that one coming, but I think they make a great couple."

"Yeah, I'm totally jealous... did you notice that Tenten's boobs got a lot bigger?"

"No..."

"Well, they did." Ino looked sadly down at her chest. "They put mine to shame now."

Sakura laughed.

"She IS older then us. I'm sure we'll catch up with her eventually!"

"I hope so." Ino didn't sound like she was joking at all.

"HMMM... can't think of anyone to compare right now. Take my turn."

Ino lifted her head in a grin.

"I just thought of a **very** good one! Its strictly for you, since I have no interest in either of these goofballs. Are we agreed that I have the right to not vote in this next round?"

"Fine fine... just tell me who they are!"

"Naruto or Lee!?!?!" Ino shouted the question with delight.

Sakura suddenly squeezed the pillow she held in her arms very tightly against her chest. She bit her bottom lip as she stared away from Ino and thought on the question.

"Naruto..." She finally said. "...But because you have the right not to vote in this particular round, I have the right to keep my reasons for picking Naruto to myself!"

"Awww, you are so lame!"

Sakura winked at Ino with a grin.

"Hmmm... I can't believe I forgot about THESE two!"

Sakura kept the grin on her face as she spoke. Ino already knew what was coming, and she grabbed the second pillow and laid back down on the bed as she waited for it to come. She was hoping that Sakura would just completely disregard them. The pink-haired genin posed the next challenge.

"Shikamaru or Chouji?" The question tasted so good to Sakura that she almost wanted to ask it a second time.

"Shikamaru!" Sakura shouted out.

"Chouji!" Ino forced herself to shout out just as loud.

Sakura gasped and giggled devilishly as Ino blushed.

"I think I'll get mine out the way first." Sakura explained. "First, Shikamaru is very cute. I love his hairstyle. Second, I like the fact that he's an intellectual. I love a man who can solve problems so quickly and creatively. Thirdly, I think he's going to look just like

his dad when he gets older!"

Ino remained silent, hoping that Sakura would keep going so she could hold it off longer.

"I have never seen you so quiet, Ino-pig!" Sakura taunted. "Stop torturing me! I am DYING to hear your explanation... I remember the last time we spoke about your teammates you admitted that you thought Shikamaru was really cute."

"I DO think Shikamaru is really cute!" Ino spoke up. "I also think he is very obnoxious. His laziness and all his talk about a man and women's place in a relationship is almost unbearable. He thinks he is so cool. I could never date him!"

"Okay, I can accept that... now you have to tell me what you think of Chouji!"

Ino sighed, and looked into her pillow. Sakura lay down beside her and leaned close to her. She didn't want to miss a word.

"...First, I think that Chouji is just as cute as Shikamaru, but in a different way... he's just so chubby, and huggable... like a giant teddy bear. He is so adorable!"

Ino laughed as she thought about him, and started speaking again as she looked up at the ceiling. She didn't even notice she had placed the pillow between her legs.

"And Sakura, he is SO funny! Even when he isn't trying to be funny, he just makes me laugh. You should see how he acts around me now... he tries to be bold sometimes, but he is generally so klutzy and goofy... it is kind of sexy."

"See? I TOLD you that guys' being goofy every now and then is a turn-on!" Sakura responded.

"And it's not just that..." To her friends' surprise, Ino went on. "He is such a kind-hearted person. He isn't like most guys. He's so nice, and he treats me so well... I mean, its not like he's my boyfriend or anything, but I can already tell he would treat me like a princess if we were going out with each other."

Sakura had never heard Ino talk so 'dreamily' about a guy apart from Sasuke... She responded to her words the only way she knew how.

"AWWWWWWWW!!!!"

"SHUT UP!" Ino got up and threw her pillow at Sakura. Sakura laughed long and hard.

"He asked me out today." She suddenly blurted out.

"Really?!? And what did you say?"

"I told him I would let him know tomorrow."

"So?"

"Of course I'm going to go out with him." Ino smiled.

"Then why didn't you just tell him 'yes'?"

"O Sakura... I forget how young you are sometimes!" Ino mocked. "It makes the guys appreciate you more if you show them that you're not just some 'common catch'. I would have come off as 'easy' if I just said 'yes' right away."

"Hmph." Sakura grinned.

"But you know..." Ino cast her eyes to the carpet, and took on a serious tone. "I never would have seen any of these great qualities in him if he didn't come back from that mission in such critical condition. It took him almost losing his life for me to realize he was so much more to me then just some fat teammate."

Silence. Ino's voice almost cracked under the pressure of the memories.

"Sakura, I was so scared... I'm scared even now while I think about it. I stayed up all night when they brought him into the hospital. It was so awful... The thought of losing Chouji is more then I could ever bear." Now her voice was breaking. "I-It wasn't until I spoke to his father after the operation that I realized how close Chouji was to...

Its funny how we never appreciate anything until we're close to losing it."

Ino looked over at Sakura, whose eyes were ridden with weariness as she looked at her feet. Ino immediately began to kick herself.

"_You are so stupid! Here you are talking about Chouji, who actually returned from that mission, when Sasuke-kun is still out there! Way to go, moron._"

"Sakura, I am so-"

"Don't."

Sakura lifted her eyes to Ino with a huge smile on her face.

"I can't expect you to walk on egg-shells around me forever. In fact, why haven't we put Sasuke-kun into any of the rounds?"

Ino smiled warmly at her best friend, who was becoming more mature everyday.

"Are you sure you can handle it?" Ino would double-check anyway.

"Yes, I'm sure... Though it would be kind of pointless to put Sasuke-kun in the game. He would just beat everyone!"

"Hmmm... I don't think that's true in your case anymore." Ino spoke plainly.

"Huh?"

"Are you SURE about this, Sakura?" Ino asked once more before posing her challenge.

"I'M SURE!" Sakura was getting irritated.

"Fine... Naruto or Sasuke-kun?" Ino spoke.

"Sasuke-kun!" Ino shouted out.

Sakura began sweating as she dropped her head. Her face was flustered with raw embarrassment.

"Don't get timid now! You said you were ready…. And you have to be honest!" Ino reminded her.

Sakura sighed, and involuntarily placed her pillow between her legs.


	15. Chapter 15

Tenten closed her beautiful eyes on this dark day at last. Soon she had fallen into a much needed deep sleep. Whatever world her mind took her in through her dreams would be welcome to her. It couldn't be any worse then what lied before her in the world of open eyes. Her dreams would no doubt be a refuge to her. To be honest, Tenten had never slept so soundly in her life.

"I know he's here, and I want to speak with him." Her voice smoked with distress and an attitude that burned slowly like a wax candle.

The two of them squared off in a stare-down at the mahogany steps of the massive porch that led up to the massive house. The shining sun attempted to bear witness to the stare-down, but couldn't get a good view of the rivals. It appeared that the whimsical and crisp clouds of the sky had got there before the sun, and was blocking the morning star's vision. The young woman must have been little more then 1/3 of the huge shinboi's body mass. She was not moved. Though the shinobi had never seen this tiny kunoichi with such relentlessness in her stance before, he was not moved. They both realized that they didn't have anything against each other, but rather stood in opposition of the other due to circumstance. So, the two stood as unwilling enemies.

"I already told you. He is busy, and he doesn't want to talk right now."

His voice was just as thick and deep as his belly. Though he was rarely so stern with anyone, he could easily release that intimidation from his throat if necessary. The two pools of topaz that sat on either side of her nose began to boil from her slow-burning attitude.

"And I already told you. I want to speak with him."

"Hmmm... then we have a problem."

The slow-burning fire was beginning to be fanned down by her distress and worry. Her topaz-blues were still boiling, but a frown came to her face.

"Chouza-sama, please..." She pleaded to him in his proper name to show she was serious. "Chouji hasn't trained with us in 6 days. I must talk to him."

"I'm sorry, Ino..."

"If you won't let me knock some sense back into him, could you at least do it for me? Aren't you supposed to be his dad?!"

Chouza chuckled without opening his mouth as the spicy genin made her request.

"_She is very pushy... She's just like her father was at her age."_

"Chouji is at an age where he has to start being responsible for his own decisions, no matter how wrong they are. He will bear the weight of the choices he makes alone. I will no longer force him to do anything he isn't smart enough to do for himself."

And Chouza meant every word. It was not in his nature to force his children to follow his orders, like so many of the prestigious ninja clans did with their children.

Ino sighed. She looked upward toward the left window of the Akimichi household. Chouji's room. She narrowed her eyes slightly, and brought her eyes back down.

"With all due respect Chouza-sama, I **will** speak to Chouji today. I wanted your permission, but I don't need it."

She made her way up the mahogany steps toward the house. She attempted to pass by Chouza's perimeter as he stood atop the last step of the stoop. Chouza extended his arm out before the girl as a final barrier before he physically had to remove her. Ino took advantage of this, aiming a sudden knee strike at the kidney area where his stomach armor didn't cover. She succeeded. The large shinobi let out a stiff groan before grabbing the wounded area.

"CHHHOOUJJJIII!!!!!!!!" Ino ran through the impressive yard that led to the house screaming toward the window of Chouji's room. "I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME UP THERE, DAMMIT!!!"

**"Bubun Baika no Jutsu!!!"**

"HUH???? LET GO OF ME!!!"

The blonde kunoichi struggled with all her strength to free herself from his anaconda's grip. She almost broke her nails trying to pry his log-thick arms from her neck, but it was hopeless. Ino was swept off of her feet as Chouza's extended right arm shot back to its usual size, holding the mischievous 14 year old in its 'care'. Ino's back was suddenly pressed against Chouza's belly. She was right back at the mahogany steps where she started.

"I SAID LET GO OF ME!!!"

Ino flailed her arms and legs wildly as Chouza walked down the steps with her in a reverse choke-hold. Her thick hair obscured his vision, but he knew the steps of his house well-enough to not need his sight.

"Do you know the world of trouble you will be in if I decide to tell your father about your behavior here?" He spoke into her hair stoically.

The boy quickly turned his head and leaned against the wall to the side of the dingy window with lightning-quick stealth. His espionage was almost compromised. He didn't anticipate she would be able to turn her head while his father had such a grip on her. He hoped she didn't see him looking out the window... after what happened just 5 days ago, he hoped that she would never see him again.

Chouji frantically bit into his hot dog as he returned to the safe haven of his bed. He would have to find away to gain an audience with the Fifth Hokage so he can make a request for a transferal to a new team. He really didn't want to leave the house. He still felt he wasn't ready yet... His dad is a pretty big deal around this village, so maybe he could get him to pull some strings and have Tsunade to come to his house instead.

"Troublesome females and their blackmails..."

Shikamaru spoke under his breath as he made his way down the halls of the academy. He poked his agitated head in and out of several classrooms to find a seat that wasn't attached directly to the floor. "Her Majesty" wanted him to bring her a seat personally. If Her Majesty's desires were not met, she threatened to leave the Academy early. The children would not allow this. They exhausted all their whining and complaints on Shikamaru until he eventually gave in. So, here he was now... He recalled there being a few loose chairs in this class room.

"Do you guys mind if I borrow one of these chairs for a moment?"

Shikamaru spoke to the two Academy instructors with his eyes peering into the class room. The instructors must have been on break, as the classroom was empty apart from them.

"Doesn't bother us..."

Shikamaru walked into the classroom, and made his way up the top steps. He grabbed a green chair of hard plastic.

"So, have you heard what happened at that new restaurant a few days ago?" One Academy teacher questioned the other.

"You mean the really fancy one? I heard something about a fire, but I don't know any details."

"Heh! Listen to this story... and prepare yourself for a good laugh!" The Instructor warned with a grin. "Apparently, some fat kid took his date out to this place in order to impress her..."

The listening instructor already began snickering. "Okay, keep going!"

"Now, I was right next to this couple since I was on my own date with Yumiko that night a-"

"Yumiko? I didn't know you guys were going steady!"

"Well, we are. Now shut up and let me finish!... So I see the waiters bringing out one of those fancy dishes that are on fire as they serve them. And suddenly, the fat kid gets up and starts running somewhere..."

"Why did he do that?"

"I don't know, maybe he had to use the bathroom. Anyway as he is running he crashes into the table that had the flaming dish on it!"

The listener began to laugh.

"That's only the beginning! So, the table is now in pieces, food is all over the floor, and the fat kid is laying face down... No one knows what happened to the fire! Eventually, the fat kid turns over and!!!"

The instructor burst out into laughter before he could finish the story.

"Stop laughing! Tell me what happens!!!"

The story-teller gained his composure.

"O-Okay, so the fat kid turns over and his pants are on fire! The flame seemed to stay only at the crotch area of his pants. He immediately gets up and starts running around the restaurant, screaming like a school girl! Those looking tell him to start rolling on the floor to get the flame out!"

Both instructors fell out of their seats, gasping for air in the pain of pure laughter.

"T-T-HAHAHHAHAH, T-THAT'S NOT ALL!!! After he rolled on the floor for a while, the flame eventually went out. Of course, his little girlfriend immediately starts checking to see if he's all right. She helps him to his feet, and that's when she saw 'it'! That's when we all saw 'it'! The flames burnt a hole clear though his pants and underwear!!! THE FAT BASTARD WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF HIS GIRLFRIEND WITH HIS BALLS OUT!!!!"

They began banging their fists against the floor to fight the pain that their laughter was putting them through. The story-teller was beginning to lose his voice, but he went on with the story.

"SO THE GIRL STARES AT HER FAT DATE WITH HER JAW ON THE FLOOR, THE ENTIRE RESTAURANT STARTS LAUGHING, AND THE LOSER RAN OUT OF THE RESTARUANT COVERING HIS 'BITS'!!!!"

Shikamaru was clutching the plastic of the chair so hard that he was sure he left an imprint in it. His instincts told him to tell these two jerks exactly where they could shove their kunai... some part of his mind actually told him to SHOW them where they could shove their kunai, but he resisted. They weren't worth losing a job over, even if they were talking about his best friend. Chouji refused to give anyone the full details, but by now the whole village knew about it. Poor guy. He put so much work and preparation into that date. Shikamaru saw the menu to that particular restaurant. The food their cost an arm and a leg, and Chouji planned on paying for both his and Ino's dinner.

Shikamaru walked out of the scene with the green chair in his grasp, dragging it behind him. He made it a point not to make eye contact with the two clowns.

"Hmph. It took you long enough."

Temari took the chair from his grasp, and placed it firmly into the grass. She sat down gently and crossed her legs. She placed both hands over her exposed right knee, and shot a grin toward Shikamaru. Forcing him to get her a chair was her taking vengeance on him for telling her where to sit last week.

"Whatever."

Shikamaru paid her grin no mind, and plopped down on the grass field beside her seat with his elbows over his knees. He was getting better at dealing with them, but the kids were still a pain in the ass. He didn't want to stomach a day instructing the kids on his own when he didn't have to. Though it was troublesome, he had no choice but to give in to a woman. He already gave her the chair AND the victory… but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of visible annoyance. He looked ahead at the children playing with Gaara. He noticed Kankuro standing a few feet from his sister with a sour face and medical bandages covering his left arm.

"Kankuro-kun?" Udon tugged at his pants to get his attention.

"What do you want, kid?"

"What happened to your arm?"

"I already told you! I fell down the stairs!" Kankuro made it his business not to look at Temari whenever he told that lie. "Now just drop it!"

"Ohhh… It must have been a lot of stairs." Udon responded, maturely hinting to his favorite ninja in the world that he didn't buy the story. "Can you still play with us?"

"No. I don't feel like playing right now, so scram!!"

"Kankuro."

The chuunin's face became that much more twisted when he heard his abusive sister call his name.

"….What?"

"Your voice is beginning to irritate me. Go play with the kids." She looked straight ahead as she spoke those rock-hard words.

Kankuro shot a glare toward Temari and then to Shikamaru, but this time he wasn't chuckling. Temari remained quiet. He walked off from the both of them mumbling dark words under his breath. Shikamaru wasn't sure what his problem was.

"Come on, kid." He called out to Udon. "Show me the jutsus you've learned his week."

Udon scurried behind him.

The two chuunin silently watched the children play their games, puffs of smoke forming everywhere from deformed Henges and failed Bushins. Shikamaru chuckled slightly at the sight of Konohamaru attempting to lead a group of kids pass Gaara's sand barrier. The harder the charka-possessed sand pushed the kids to the floor, the louder Konohamaru screamed his commands and strategies. He was one determined kid. Shikamaru thought he would make one hell of a ninja when he graduated.

Temari looked down at the boy to the left of her, and decided he wasn't paying her enough attention.

Shikamaru felt a solid object push gently against the side of his head, and quickly knocked it away with his hand. It turned out to be the sand ninja's left foot.

"What's your problem?" Shikamaru demanded, not quite sure why Temari's foot being so close to him made him blush.

With her legs still crossed, Temari continued to dangle her foot before his eyes with a bored look on her face.

"What's your excuse now, cry-baby? It isn't that hot out today. Aren't you going to play with your students?"

"If that's all you wanted to know, why didn't you just speak to get my attention?"

"Answer the question."

"No."

"And why is that?"

"Because its not in my job description to 'play' with the kids. I'm just supposed to watch them, and that's troublesome enough as it is."

Shikamaru pushed her foot out of his face one final time. Temari decided to keep her feet to herself for the moment. He almost frowned at Temari as he spoke on, recalling the rumors that are circulating about them.

"The better question is why aren't you playing with them? Isn't that the reason you came here all the way from Sand?"

"I'll go and play with the children when I feel like it." She explained the situation to Shikamaru in detail, as was her manner. "Right now, I feel like sitting down and bugging you, so that's what I'm doing. As I said before, I don't have to do something just because you want me to do it."

"I never said I wanted you to…"

Shikamaru suddenly sighed lamely, unimpressed with Temari's attitude. He knew what she was trying to do.

"Forget it. I'm not wasting energy arguing with some bratty woman with smelly feet."

Daggers proceeded from Temari's eyes toward the Nara boy like before. Suddenly, that anger she had been craving for the past week had come into her again. That anger tickled her on the inside, and forced a twisted grin on her face.

"Be quiet." She spoke passively, placing her foot in his face once more. This time, she made sure to push her toes into his nose.

She was a little shocked the way he forcefully grabbed her foot, and held on to it with an impressive grip. It actually hurt her a bit. The boy pulled the foot out of his face so he could look at the brat. Shikamaru wanted his face to display his anger with Temari's foot games, but once he saw that shock in those addictive eyes… his face refused to stop smirking. The fact that he had brought such shock to the woman's face felt good… it felt really good. It was as though he had conquered enemy territory. Truth be told, he felt for a moment that he had conquered her.

As he continued to smirk at her, her smile disintegrated from a twisted grin to an angry blush. Her cheeks swelled with blood.

"Alright… let go of my foot now."

"Why should I?"

Temari's blush grew an ever deeper red and was splashed with a little more anger. It almost appeared to the smirking chuunin that her eyes grew a lighter shade of blue…. Like almost a green color. She never answered his question.

They both remained speechless. Shikamaru clutched the woman's foot in his hand as she sat a few feet higher then him on her "plastic throne". He tightened his hold on her foot, causing the fabric footwear to bend inward into her skin. She groaned slightly, and her cheeks became light-violet. He was confused as to why she didn't take any action… and so was she. She grew so angry with Shikamaru that her lips curved upward into a smile.

Shikamaru and Temari both smiled at each other.

He knew why he wasn't moving. Her freaky eyes had captured him like before. Eventually, he broke away from her eyes… and his eyes fell down to her thick thighs. She instantly pulled her foot out of Shikamaru's grasp. Temari's legs un-crossed themselves, and turned away from the chuunin's view.

"Ahem!!!"

Shikamaru's eyes were drawn back to her face as she intentionally cleared her throat. Her eyes looked just as disappointed and disgusted as they looked angry. She turned her head from the boy completely with a sharp "Hmph". Though she was still blushing, it appeared that now she was REALLY upset! He sucked his teeth before closing his eyes and nonchalantly turning away from Temari as well. Being the genius he was Shikamaru discerned the exact moment their little staring game had gone down-hill.

"Why do you wear those stupid stockings over your legs anyway? They don't serve any real purpose out on the field." Of course, he gave his reasons for staring at her thighs with a huge blush on his face.

"Why do **you **wear those stupid earrings?" Her face was still turned from him. "What purpose do they serve on missions? What sort of 'man' wears earrings anyway?"

"Shikamaru sensei! Temari-chan! Please play with us!"

Both of them were relieved to hear Moegi's over-powering voice. Temari immediately arose from her seat and took Moegi's hand.

"Lets go play!" Temari grinned at the Academy student.

"Shikamaru sensei, can you come play with us too?"

The chuunin looked at the little girl's cute face. He looked up at Temari's face. He couldn't discern her emotion. For some reason, for once, he really wanted to go play with her- errr, with them… with the kids.

"Nah. I'll just sit and watch for now."

Moegi looked disappointed. So did Temari.

"Awww!!!!! Fine, but next time you have to play with me sensei!"

"It's a deal." Shikamaru smiled at her.

Temari looked back at Shikamaru for a moment before walking off with her play-mate. Soon, a group of kids swarmed her like killer bees.


	16. Chapter 16

Kunai, kama, sai, shuriken… she threw them at the Hyuuga, just as she did yesterday. The Hyuuga knocked them away with chakra-empowered hands, just as he did yesterday. She jumped into the air and threw more edged weapons at the Hyuuga with more intensity and prowess. This too was done in the same way it had been done yesterday. In fact, it was done the same way the day before yesterday… and the day before that. And rightly so! Things bhad/b to be this way if growth was expected. It was training. Training was supposed to be repetitious. It was supposed to feel like drudgery. It was supposed to be dull. It was supposed to be cold, hard, and mechanical. THAT'S what training is… That's what consistency is. Repetitious, drudging, dull, hard, cold, mechanical, second-nature, ever-moving, never-changing, lacking vibrancy, lacking flavor, always stale, always steel, always growing stronger… always right.

The weapon master dropped to the ground, and began the second phase of the training. She pulled out a scroll, moved her hand over it, and tossed a new row of shuriken at the Hyuuga. The Hyuuga blocked it again. She pulled out another scroll, moved her hand over it, tossed a few weapons, and the Hyuuga blocked them. It wasn't logical or advantageous to attack a Hyuuga at close-range. She would keep her distance. This was the way it should be done. She removed the larger scroll from her back, spread out the huge flowing paper over her extended forearm, drew blood from her thumb, and smeared the inscription. Multiple weapons poofed into existence above her head. As they fell down toward the weapon master, she caught them, and began to throw those weapons rapidly at the Hyuuga. She threw them with great speed, not allowing a single weapon to hit the ground. The Hyuuga blocked them with equally impressive speed, not allowing a single weapon to get by him. It was pointless to try and hit the Hyuuga with an excess of weapons like before. He would just block them with the Hakkesho Kaiten, and they had already completed the Hakkesho Kaiten training for the day.

"I'll see you tomorrow." The weapon master turned away and left the manor.

"Right." The Hyuuga returned to his quarters.

Training was complete.

------------------

"Kay, Temari-chan! Are you ready?" Moegi looked ferociously cute as she stood in a battle stance with three tiny warriors behind her.

"Give me your worst."

Temari smiled warmly as she pulled the huge fan from its place in her sash. She flung it open 1/3 of its span, and revealed one purple moon to her four adversaries.

The four academy students released their battle cries as they all rushed toward Temari. The sand ninja waved the fan toward them gently, and a severe gust of wind sent them gliding backward on its current. Because some of what Konohamaru had must have rubbed off on the little girl, Moegi got back up and charged Temari again as though nothing happened.

"_So weird. Now her eyes seem an even lighter shade of green then before… but still sort of blue-ish. I guess it could be called a misty, cool blue." _

Shikamaru studied her eyes from afar, deciding to sit in the plastic chair she left behind. As Temari continued to mete out gentle punishment to the children with her Fuuton attacks, her eyes glanced over at him every moment or so. Even though they were angry at each other and a reasonable distance apart, the game continued. A grin here, a smirk there, a blush or two… the usual.

"Shikamaru-kun!!!"

"Huh?" The chuunin was pulled out of her eyes once more by a squeaky voice.

Standing to the side of her with her hands bashfully placed behind her back was little Neko, otherwise known as "Screamer". Her large, dove eyes of dark brown glimmered in her stare, and her acorn-hair was short and messy enough to be considered tom-boyish. Shikamaru released a full-faced smile. Out of all the troublesome kids he came in contact with, she was by far his favorite. She technically wasn't an academy student, as she was only 5. However, because she was the granddaughter of Renji-sama, dean of the Academy, she had special privileges to the school's many facilities. She had been coming to Shikamaru's recreations class for the past 3 days now. Shikamaru fell in love with the little angel since the first day he met her.

"Neko! How are you?"

"I'm doing fine, Shikamaru-kun! How are you?" she was so polite.

"I'm doing great now that you're here!"

You could practically see the sun shine brighter as Neko giggled.

"Is that Temar-kuni?"

Neko took one hand from behind her back, and pointed toward the blonde shinobi. Though she never met Temari, the children all talked about her since she last visited with her brothers. Thus, Neko recognized her by word-of-mouth.

"Yes it is." Shikamaru answered.

"She's preeetty!" Neko exclaimed. Shikamaru didn't say anything. "I got this for you."

The chuunin would have released an "awww, how cute!" if it wasn't so unmanly to do so. Neko revealed the most beautiful blue flower with some white pedals and a honey-golden center from behind her back.

"I got it from the flower shop yesterday…" Neko went on as Shikamaru took the flower from her hand. "And, you know what's so special about it, Shikamaru-kun? Its special because the flower girl told me that people from the Wave Country give it to the person they are going to marry!!!"

The chuunin couldn't help but blush brightly. He leaned over to the little girl from his seat.

"Thank you for the flower, Neko. But I think I'm too old for you!"

Shimaru winked at the little girl as he joked on.

"Besides, marriage is a drag for young girls like you. Its no fun at all. Look for a boyfriend first!"

"I'm not giving the flower to you, silly!" Neko placed a finger on the chuunin's silly nose. "I'm giving it to you so you can give it to **her**!".

Shikamaru wasn't smiling anymore. As Neko pointed her tiny finger toward that blonde little brat off in the distance, he knew it was going to be an interesting day. He didn't respond to Neko's request. Neko figured he was confused, and explained it to him.

"You give it to Temari-kun, and then you will be destined to be with each other forever!" Neko grabbed the hem of her white summer dress, taken in her own fantasy. "That's what the flower girl told me. She said I should give it to a really cute boy, but daddy says I'm too young to like boys, so I want you to have it instead!"

"_Tch, 'give it to a really cute boy'. That could only be one person. I should have known. Damn you, Ino."_

Shikamaru realized Ino didn't sell Neko the flower with the intention of this happening, but it felt good to blame her nonetheless.

"Neko. I can't give that flower to Temari."

"Why not? Is it because you're shy?" She smiled, pulling the hem of her dress from side to side playfully.

"No!" He didn't mean to inflect his voice. In an attitude, he broke it to her plainly. "I don't want to marry her!"

Neko was lost in confusion. She scratched her head.

"But… you love Temari-kun!"

"No, I don't."

"Yes you do!" Now it was the little girl who was inflecting her voice. "If you don't love her, why do you always look at her?"

Shikamaru looked surprised, and actually felt a little naked. Troublesome kids spying on him… Hmmm, he wondered how he could explain this to someone who doesn't even know how to tie their own shoes. A long sigh ensued.

"I look at her because… she has funny eyes. That doesn't mean I love her, Neko."

Neko looked over at Temari's eyes. She put her head down in thought.

"… But, Temari-kun is so pretty. Look at her! Don't you thinks she's pretty, Shikamaru-kun?"

Neko placed her tiny hand on Shikamaru's cheek, and tried to turn his face to Temari. The chuunin voluntarily turned his face to the brat. He tried to glance over her more defining features quickly like he usually does, but the pressure Neko put on her was making it difficult. Temari had a sort of "ruddy" theme to her looks that covered every physical feature. He was forced to take in her wild, hay-colored hair. It was so messy and bushy… Her sun-kissed skin was so healthy and beautifully tanned... She looked 'wild' and unkempt, and still gave off an air of nobility. And then there was her body. She was very well-stacked, to say the very least. All these things were pretty good on their own, but her eyes… Shikamaru frowned, and dropped his head.

"I think she's very pretty…." he could already feel those words coming back to bite him in the ass.

"So if you think she's pretty and if you always look at her, then you love her and have to get married!"

"No, Neko. It's not that simple."

"Yes it is!!!" Neko was getting fed up with the chuunin trying to destroy her fantasy. "If you love her, you're supposed to get married!"

The little girl was frustrated. Her young mind was trying to process Shikamaru's logic, but she just didn't understand. It was clear to her that Shikamaru and Temari were supposed to be married, but he kept trying to deny it.

"Neko, listen-"

"Stop fibbing!"

Shikamaru looked puzzled as Neko pouted with anger proceeding from her throat.

"You're fibbing when you say you look at her because she has funny eyes. You look at her because you want to marry her!"

Shikamaru put his hand on his head with his elbow on his knee. It was pointless to try and explain his 'relationship' with Temari. Play time was over.

"Neko, I am NOT going to marry Temari."

The little girl saw that he was serious. She put on a sad face.

"PLEEEEAAASSEEE give Temari-kun the flower, Shikamaru-kun! I know that you love her!"

"Quit saying I lover her!"

"But-"

"No 'buts'! I don't love Temari, I don't want to marry her, and I am bnot/b giving her the flower. Got it?!"

Shikamaru hated to crush his favorite little girl's dreams, but he had to nip this one in the bud before it grew any further. If he didn't make it clear to her, she would probably tell Temari what she told him. He couldn't allow that.

Neko's face began to contort as she sniffed uncontrollably. She was taking small breaths. Shikamaru could already see the tears bunching up in the corners of her eyes.

"Crying isn't going to change my mind."

Of course, he made this statement before he found out why she holds the alias 'Screamer'. Her huffs and puffs became shorter as she began to let out whimpers in between them. Tears were streaming down her face. Had the blue flower still been in her hand she would have snapped it in two with her tight clench. She suddenly took a deep breath, and-

"**WWWWAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"**

Shikamaru's vision became blurred and shaky as his ears rang endlessly. Through his mushy vision he could see Temari and the kids grab their ears in pain. The chuunin couldn't think straight, as the grassy field seemed to rise up and crash down like a filthy-green ocean. This had to be some kind of genjutsu… No, he remembered! It was Neko crying. The ringing in his ear wouldn't permit him to hear much, but if the students and the sand siblings writhing in anguish on the ground were any indication, she was still crying. Shikamaru shouted toward her in a daze.

"ALRIGHT, I'LL GIVE HER THE FLOWER! JUST STOP CRYING!!!"

Neko's huge mouth closed immediately, and she sniffed up the last of her sorrow. She wiped her eyes, and smiled at Shikamaru. The Academy students and the Sand Siblings poured out confusion and anger through their eyes, and gave it to the chuunin and the little girl.

"ITS OKAY!!!! SHE JUST HURT HER TOE, BUT SHE'S ALRIGHT NOW!" Shikamaru called out to them.

"Heh heh, you fibber!" Neko laughed, wiping the last of her tears. "Are you gonna give it to her now!?!"

The chuunin could barely make out her words as the ringing in his ears would not cease.

"No… I'll give it to her later."

"Really?"

"Yeah..." Shikamaru twirled the flower around in his fingers, causing the pedals to rotate before him like a carousal. "I'll do it later."

Shikamaru also hated to lie to the little girl, but it was necessary for the eardrums of so many innocent bystanders.

The band of children and their elder Shinobi trekked down the main hallway toward the entrance of the Academy. Udon looked up at Kankuro as he walked by his side, and Kankuro tried to pretend he didn't notice him. Udon made a sniffing noise to get his attention. Kankuro didn't respond, but his face tensed up.

"….Kanku-"

"What! What is it now!?!"

Udon jumped suddenly from Kankuro's upoar. He adjusted his glasses after they were misaligned from the scary response.

"Ummm….. do you think my Henge no Jutsu was good?"

Kankuro controlled his temper, and cracked a grin.

"Your Henge was great, kid." He admitted. "I've never seen an academy student do something as complicated as a Cow Henge so accurately."

"Ummm…." Udon scratched the back of his head. "That Henge was supposed to be you."

Temari, Moegi, Konohamaru and even Gaara all laughed. Kankuro twitched his eye as he stopped walking for a moment. Temari turned around and stared at him before he ever opened his mouth to crush Udon's feelings. He caught himself, sighed, and continued to walk on.

"Just… try harder next time kid." Kankuro spoke while ruffling Udon's hair... harshly.

"She's about to go home, Shikamaru-kun! Will you tell her now?"

A wad of sweat fell down Shikamaru's back as he covered Neko's mouth. Temari's eyes went back to the two for a moment, but she turned around soon after. Shikamaru spoke in a hushed tone.

"I told you I'd do it later!"

He took his hands off of Neko's mouth.

"But she's going back to the Wind Country now! What if she never comes back?!?!"

Shikamaru dropped his head in the painful knowledge that his entire class was looking at them right now. The chuunin lifted up his head slowly, and it was just as he predicted. Temari stood between her brothers with her palms pressed against her hips.

"See? She's looking! Give it to her now, Shikamaru-kun!"

Suddenly, Neko was no longer Shikamaru's favorite anymore. He stared down at the girl with murder in his eyes. His shirt beneath his chuunin vest was drenched in a fresh coat of sweat.

"What is it, cry-baby?" She questioned him.

"He says he thinks you're very pretty, Temari-kun!"

Astonishment and panic had attacked both Shikamaru and Temari's entire body, and forced their mouths open. The academy students all seemed to gasp at the same time. Some of the girl students had glimmers in their eyes. Kankuro's face was turning a blueberry color from holding in his laughter, as seeping noises came from his lips. Gaara covered his face with his hand. Neko walked over to where Temari stood and fearlessly continued to speak through the silence.

"I think Shikamaru-kun is shy, so he didn't want to tell you! He has a present for you, too!"

The innocent little girl meant to whisper this to Temari, but her voice was clearly heard by all who stood in the hallway.

The first one to laugh was Konohamaru. He tested the waters of awkwardness with a light snicker, and then soon dove right in with a full-out burst of laughter. When they suspected it was safe, 3 or 4 other kids started laughing too…

"Shut up!"

They were all immediately silenced when Temari punched Konohamaru on the side of his head. The bold student went flying into a wall, and lay unconscious with swirls replacing his eyes and saliva dribbling out of his mouth.

Temari's eyes were closed and a vein came to her head as the other students slowly backed away from her. Neko was the only one who remained, and she was trembling in fear.

It was all too much. Kankuro finally decided that laughing at this moment was worth the killing he would receive when they got back home. He began a hearty laugh, received a devastating elbow to his gut from Temari, and let out a wheezing cough/laugh as he slowly fell to his knees. Temari's eyes were still closed. She opened them to see Gaara snickering with his hand over his mouth. When the sand jounin saw that his sister was staring at him, he immediately acted as though he was coughing. Though technically he was stronger then his elder sister, Gaara figured it wise to not underestimate her.

Finally, Temari looked toward Shikamaru. He looked sick.

"Neko…" Shikamaru spoke with his head down in a dark tone. "You are not allowed in my class anymore."

Neko looked back at Shikamaru with horror in her eyes.

"W-What did I do?!?"

"You didn't listen to me. I told you I would do it later." He lifted his head and stared at the girl in disappointment. "I'm telling your grandfather that you were disruptive to my class, and that I don't want you in the recreations field anymore."

Neko's face began to pucker up in preparation of one of her deadly temper-tantrums.

"And you can cry all you want. I'm not changing my mind anymore."

She looked into Shikamaru-kun's eyes to see if she could find any weakness in them. She found none. Neko ran past her favorite instructor and down the hallways in a fit. Temari sympathetically watched as the poor girl ran away. She looked toward the lazy chuunin with rage.

"_So stressful…. Being an authority figure is a pain in the ass. She told them everything… How am I going to down play this one?"_

"…Come on, class. Her joke is over. Let's keep moving."

Shikamaru spoke nonchalantly and placed his hands in his pockets. He walked on slowly with his eyes toward the ground. He attempted to pass by Temari.

"OWWW!!! What the hell!?" Shikamaru cried. Temari grabbed hold of the chuunin's left ear, twisted it a bit, and began to march with him down the hall toward where Neko retreated. It was a good thing that most of the students and instructor's already left for the day during Shikamaru's recreations period. This would no doubt cause him some trouble if it were seen.

"GAARA! Take the kids outside, and dismiss the class!" The sand kunoichi called out.

Temari marched on, and made her way to the corner of a hallway. Good. The students wouldn't see them. She released the grip on Shikamaru's ear.

"What are you doing!!??!?" The chuunin nurtured his ear while demanding an answer.

"Heartless bastard." Temari hissed. "We are going to find that little girl, and you're going to apologize to her."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow to Temari.

"Heartless? You punched a kid clear across a hallway, and bI'm/b heartless?"

"That was a completely different situation."

"How was it different?!"

"It doesn't matter."

They paused for a moment.

"…She said you had a present for me. What did she mean by that?"

Shikamaru sighed. His finger grazed the pedals of the blue flower that was tucked away neatly in his pocket.

"It's a long story."

"Give me all the details."


	17. Chapter 17

Shikamaru leaned against the classroom door with his hands in his pockets. Neko sat down first seat of the first row with her body turned from him and looking toward the blackboard. Her nose was high in the air, and her lips were puckered outward. Her large eyes were closed, and her arms were crossed. Temari stood next to Shikamaru, directing a cheesy smile toward Neko. Even if the little girl's eyes were closed, Temari would make sure that she saw that they weren't angry with her whenever she opened them.

"Neko…" Shikamaru spoke. "Do you accept my apology?"

"Nope." She said simply.

"Why not!?" He whined.

Neko didn't say a word.

Shikamaru dropped his head.

Temari shook her head at the fellow chuunin in pity, walked over to Neko's seat still smiling and knelt down beside her. She whispered something in her ear. The little girl then opened her eyes, turned Temari's cheek and whispered something in her ear. Suddenly, they both turned around to Shikamaru with hateful glares. Sweat rolled down the chuunin's back once more.

"_Women… I can't figure them out even when their at her age!"_

Temari whispered something else in Neko's ear while she was still staring down Shikamaru. Neko giggled at what was told her. She whispered back in Temari's ear for a long time. They both stood up with their agreement.

"I'll forgive you after you give Temari-kun the flower!" She declared, still pouting at him.

Shikamaru immediately looked at Temari and they began communicating with each other with their facial expressions and eyes.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow: **_"You couldn't get a better deal then that?!?!"_**

Temari rolled her eyes slightly with light annoyance in her face:"**_You think I want to do this any more then you? This little girl drives a hard bargain. It was the best I could do. We have no choice."_**

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes, and turned them to the side: **_"Tch. I have another choice. I don't give you the flower, and she eventually gets over it." _**

Temari sharpened her eyes and exposed some of her teeth: **_"You're going to give me that flower! I'm not going to let you hurt this girl feelings anymore." _**

Shikamaru shifted his eyes back to Temari, and he opened them slightly: He looked tired: **_"Sigh…. Can you try talking to her again? There has to be another way."_**

Temari sucked her teeth with an agitated stare: **_"What's the big deal, cry-baby? It's just a flower. We both know it doesn't mean anything."_**

Shikamaru sighed lamely: **_"Whatever… lets see you say that when the entire village starts asking us about a wedding date."_**

Temari grinned wickedly: **_"Hmph."_**

"Okay, I'll do it." Shikamaru finally said smiling.

"YAYYY!!" Neko exclaimed whilst leaping to her feet, causing the sun to shine and birds to chirp once more. "I wanna see it! Do it now!"

Shikamaru cleared his throat and walked forward, hesitation in his steps. He stopped halfway across the classroom from the two troublesome women. Neko, seeing Temari wasn't moving, grabbed the Sand ninja by the hand and pulled her close to her husband-to-be. Temari smiled and allowed it, inwardly smacking the girl away many times over.

They had never stood this close to each other before. Shikamaru noticed for the first time that Temari wore a faint fragrance that smelled sort of similar to her mom's lilac perfume. He nervously scratched the back of his head. Temari held both of her hands in front of her, below her waist. She stared at the boy's pulled back hairline as he continued to scratch himself. When Shikamaru looked at her, her eyes retreated slightly… They both shook off their nerves at the same time, remembering this was just a mock-proposal orchestrated by a child who reads too many fairy tales. Shikamaru quickly pulled the blue flower from his pocket. He was about to open his mouth and blurt out his speech when Neko interjected.

"You're supposed to be on one knee when you do it!"

Temari looked sharply at the little dictator. Now she was going too far.

"T-that's only if I was proposing to her with an engagement ring!" Shikamaru blurted out the first argument that came to mind.

"NO! You don't have a ring… but you're still asking for her to marry you so you have to get down on one knnneee!!!" Neko whined.

Temari decided to join in. "No, Neko, the guy does that only whe-"

Tears began to bunch up in the child's eyes as she whimpered.

"Okay, fine I'll do it!" Shikamaru realized he would no doubt go deaf if he had to endure another 'scream attack' in such an enclosed area as a classroom.

Her tear ducts immediately ran dry. Shikamaru put his head down in shame as he bowed before the woman. The kunoichi was overjoyed by his humiliation. She was beginning to see the bright side of this situation suddenly.

Shikamaru looked up, and his eyes widened. Temari didn't understand why… Wait a minute?!?! Damn!

"_Now the pervert has a perfect view of my legs... and he can stare at them without needing an excuse this time!"_

Temari immediately began to blush, and almost looked like she was attempting to bury a grin underneath a stern face. Sure, the black trunks covered her more personal features, but the shape and outline of her… it could clearly be made out upon close inspection. Shikamaru smirked once his eyes grew comfortable with their vantage point. He was overjoyed by her humiliation. He was quickly beginning to see the bright side of this situation… along with seeing a few other things… Temari shut her legs as tight as she could.

Neko sat down and put her hands to her cheeks and rested her elbows on the study table before her. Her eyes were wide open and full of sparkling anticipation.

"Kay… now you have to tell Temari-kun how you feel about her!"

"Hurry this up cry-baby, or I swear you'll regret it." Temari spoke through her teeth so Neko couldn't hear the threat. She would not have her body parts gawked at a mille-second longer then necessary.

"Hmm" Shikamaru responded with a grin.

The shinobi cleared his throat, and began his proposal.

"Temari, I think you're very pretty, and I want you to marry me. Here." He spoke with quick and empty words, and thrust the flower toward her face.

"Shikamaru, I accept and can't wait until we get married." She spoke even quicker and with twice the emptiness. She took the flower from his hand, and immediately turned from him.

Shikamaru arose to his feet. They both turned to see little Neko with her eyes narrowed and her cheeks crimson with fury. She huffed and puffed loudly. Without making an objection, Temari gave the flower back to Shikamaru, and Shikamaru got back on one knee.

"Now you have to mean it, Shikamaru-kun! And look her in the eyes when you say it!"

Neko may only have been 5, but she had seen enough pictures of romance in her fairy tale books to know real passion when she saw it. She continued to act as a tiny goddess to her two servants, making them move and sway at the whim of her will.

Shikamaru dropped his head for a moment in thought… Temari was a little flustered by the serious face that he arose with.

"Temari... I was too afraid to admit it before… but I think you are very pretty."

Shikamaru made sure to add in the bit about him being too afraid to admit it before, realizing that little Neko liked drama in her romance stories. Temari was a bit surprised and slightly troubled by the skill of his acting. It almost sounded like…

"I have never met a girl like you before…The truth is…. I-I like you a lot, Temari…"

Okay, now it was getting weird. That sounded a little too convincing. Temari's stern and impatient face involuntarily fell into pieces. She stared down slowly at the Nara boy with slight intrigue. She was looking for a wink from him that confirmed that it was all part of his act. He gave no such wink… only a straight face.

"I never thought you would ever make me feel the way I feel for you right now… I can remember the first day I met you, staring into those wild eyes as you tried to attack me in the chuunin exams. We were enemies… but I knew you would change my life even back then."

Shikamaru grabbed Temari's dangling hand. Temari froze instantly.

"Heh… Isn't it funny that it took Neko to put us through all of this to get me to finally admit the truth? We even tried to fool her at first! But, Temari… I hope you are just as happy as I am right now that Neko did what she did."

Neko's eyes were enlarged and looked like they would soon swallow this whole touching scene. She giggled into her tiny hands as she watched on.

"I'm not sure where we will go from here, but I am sure that I want to spend every day of my life getting there with you… even if where we are going is nowhere"

He turned Temari's sun-kissed hand over, and placed the blue flower into it. He proceeded to close her hand around the flowers stem for her. Their eyes were locked the entire time.

"Temari… will you marry me?"

Her heart was pounding outside of her chest. She looked desperately for the confirmation of the act, but the slacker just wouldn't give it to her. Her mouth was open slightly, but her words didn't come out.

Silence, silence, and some more silence… Neko appreciated the dramatic build-up, but she was beginning to get impatient. Shikamaru tried not to break the serious face, but the Sunagakure Princess was just standing there dumb-founded and… sweating? He twitched his eyebrows slightly, hoping she would get the message.

Temari's heart finally took a breather. She got the confirmation she needed. Okay… she already had the surprised look working for her… all she had to do was make the acceptance sound heart-felt. She wasn't about to be out-done by the cry-baby, even in drama.

"Shikamaru…. I-I don't know what to say…"

She grabbed the side of the chuunin's face with her free-hand and delicately moved her fingers from his cheek to his chin. He had some pretty soft skin for a guy. Shikamaru kept the straight face with a struggle. Temari's smile was more warm and feminine then he had ever seen from her. Her eyes sparkled.

"I never thought…. I never even considered that you would admit to it. And now that you have told me your feelings, I must tell you mine…"

She grabbed hold of Shikamaru's chin with a curved index finger and guided him to his feet. She began to fully massage the side of his face with her hand whilst she beat down the chuunin's courage with a majestic gaze. Though he was keeping a straight face, Temari noticed a drop of sweat roll down his cheek. She moved her face close to his... Closer then what Shikamaru deemed as kosher. He broke the straight face momentarily, but Neko was too star-struck to notice. She moaned out the remainder of her sentence in a hushed tone, practically speaking into his lips as though they were her microphone.

"I love you, Shikamaru…. I always loved you…. And yes, I will marry you."

Temari threw her hands around him forcefully before he knew what was happening. He eventually threw his arms around her to complete the embrace. Temari, with her eyes closed and a smile of pure bliss, rubbed her cheek and neck against his own like a female tigress comforting her mate.

"Remember… I'll never stop loving you…" Temari said toward Shikamaru's ear, yet loud enough for Neko to hear.

Neko died right there in her seat. She clapped her hands in ecstasy as she giggled loudly. It was better then she could have imagined.

"YAYYY!!!! Now you'll both get married and live happily ever after!!!"

Temari and Shikamaru broke the embrace, both of them smiling warmly at each other. They decided to keep up the charade for now. Temari took hold of Shikamaru's hand with one hand, and held the flower in the other. They looked at the little girl.

"See, Neko? I told you I would do it. Now, do you accept my apology?" Shikamaru spoke.

"Yes, Shikamaru-kun!"

"Good…. I didn't mean to get angry with you out there, but I wanted to tell Temari about the flower when we were both alone. I didn't want the other kids to hear." Shikamaru explained.

"Yes… We both want to keep our love a secret from our family and friends for now. We will surprise them later." Temari added on to the fabricated story. She smiled at the little girl. "NOW, we expect you to keep it a secret too! You're the only one that knows about this, and we don't want you to tell anyone until we tell them ourselves. Okay?"

Neko smiled and laughed.

"Kay! I promise I won't tell anyone, even if they say they'll give me candy!"

"Good" Shikamaru smiled. "Now, Temari really has to get going, so we should-"

"Wait." Neko said. "Now that you both know how you feel, you should kiss Temari-kun on the lips before she leaves!"

Dread hit both of the chuunin hard and forced more sweat to ride down their backs.

"**_YOU LITTLE PAIN IN THE ASS!_**" Shikamaru and Temari screamed in their minds at the same time.

"NO!" Temari shouted, and cleared her throat to gain composure. "No... We are not supposed to kiss on the lips until our wedding day."

"That's right! The groom doesn't get to kiss the bride until they are really married, remember?" Shikamaru backed her up immediately, pleading with the tiny goddess to have mercy on them.

Neko referred to the fairy tales that she kept on file in her psyche…. It was true. The bride and groom always kiss on the lips at the actual wedding. She pouted a little and sighed wearily.

"Fine... I can't wait until you both get married! You'll hug and kiss, and I know you'll both be so happy and you'll have so many kids!!!"

Temari and Shikamaru laughed unenthusiastically at those scary words.

"I gotta go home now! Grandpa is going to leave soon, and he'll be looking for me at the front of the Academy." She ran toward the door. "BYE TEMARI-KUN AND SHIKAMARU-KUN!!!!"

"_**BYE!!!!"**_

They immediately released each other's grasp, and expelled all the oxygen from their lungs in a huge sigh of relief. Shikamaru spoke first.

"Sorry about my proposal the second time around. I didn't want to give you any hints because I thought Neko might notice them." He grinned when he recalled the look on her face. "Though I must admit… the fact that you didn't know helped build the drama even further."

Temari quickly walked by him through the door without giving him a look. She hated that she was so easily tricked by his acting, but she hated even more that he was apologizing about it. She felt stupid and weak. Shikamaru ran after her, and walked beside her down the hall.

"I don't need your apologies… I knew you were acting all along."

"Don't lie." He said simply.

Temari sucked her teeth in anger. He thought he was so smart and had everything figured out… She smiled and looked toward him.

"I should be apologizing to you for the touching and hugging I threw in. If I knew it was going to make you sweat so much, I never would have done it."

Temari pulled the shoulder area of her tunic outfit outward to Shikamaru so he could see the dark liquid stains.

"See? This isn't MY sweat."

Shikamaru turned his eyes from the tunic, having no come-back ready. Good. Temari looked at the blue flower in her hand. Her mind was too tense and busy to take it in before. It was beautiful.

"Hmmm… the pedals are blue and white and spread out like a tulip… but the stigma is golden-yellow and shoots forth like a lily… I've never seen anything like this." Temari examined the flower further.

"Yeah… Neko said that it comes from the Wave Country." Shikamaru explained, welcoming the change of subject.

"That explains the thick stem… this kind only grows around very fertile and moist soil. I wouldn't be surprised if these flowers bloomed straight out of the waters of a tiny stream."

"Whatever… Neko is gone now so you can do what you want with it."

"Hmph…" Temari twirled the flower around in her fingers, causing the pedals to rotate before her like a carousal. "I'll keep it."

"Why?!?" Shikamaru questioned in a troubled tone.

"Because it's my flower!"

"It's creepy to keep it after all we just went through in there."

"Idiot. I told you it's just a flower. It doesn't mean anything. Besides, I want to study it."

"Study it? Why are you suddenly so interested in flowers?"

"I was always interested in plant life. I study botany."

Shikamaru looked a bit surprised.

"I didn't know that."

"How would you? I never told you."

"I mean… I never would have guessed you were into flowers."

"I'm into **plants**. And why is that such a shock?"

"You don't strike me as the type."

"Since when do you have my 'type' pegged down?"

Temari stared at the boy as they walked, watching annoyance build up on his laid-back face. He put his hands behind his head as he spoke with a sigh.

"You're even harder to figure out then most women." He grinned at her.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Temari, as expected, smirked back.

They enjoyed the silence for a moment.

"…I'm too old for you."

"What?" Shikamaru was thoroughly confused by her sudden statement.

"I'm flattered that you think I'm 'very pretty', but I'm too old for you."

Shikamaru turned his head, and looked pretty upset. Once again, Temari had exercised her tendency to speak with very little voice inflection to catch the chuunin off guard.

"What are you? 13? 14? Technically, I am old enough to baby sit you!" Temari joked coldly. "…. That's the reason we wouldn't work out."

"…Tch… Is that the only reason?"

Temari's eyes seemed to brighten up. Could it be that Shikamaru was finally going to….

"Because, if you want, I can give you a dozen reasons why you and I would never 'work out'."

It seemed she was wrong. Shikamaru made sure his words were every bit as cold as hers. The sand kunoichi shut her eyes tight to keep them from boiling out of her sockets.

"You are hopeless and pathetic. Why do I even waste my time coming here?"

"I was wondering the same thing."

Temari gasped slightly, and opened her flame-fueled eyes.

"…You little asshole. Let's see you deal with these kids by yourself from now on. I'm not coming back anymore."

"Fine then."

They were silent the rest of the way through the hall. Temari stormed out of the doors that led to the entrance of the Academy. Her brothers had made themselves comfortable sitting on the steps. She walked by them without speaking. They looked to Shikamaru for some kind of explanation. Shikamaru made his way down the Academy steps in the direction of his house. Gaara and Kankuro finally walked in Temari's direction. Hands pressed against the back of his head, the chuunin was horrified at the thought circulating in his mind.

"_What a drag she can only come every once and while.." _

As Temari made her way through the grassy plains that led back to Sand Village, she pulled the blue flower from its place in the front of her sash. She walked on, twirling the flower around in her fingers, smiling…


	18. Chapter 18

The tiny rock made a crack against the window that was as silent as the roar of thunder. Chouji threw the covers to the side, relieved himself from his depressive post within the sheets of his bed, and began to walk over to his window.

"_1…2…3…4...5…6…**7!!!"** _

The night owl that perched on the gargantuan branch of the century old tree counted the seconds that it took Chouji to make it to his window.

Chouji scouted the area outside his window, taking in the surroundings and a decent view of Konoha's setting sun. The only thing that the genin found that was note-worthy out there was a single owl, which arched its head at him as he stared at it. It had creepy glowing eyes... but it certainly did not have the means, capacity, or the reasoning to throw a rock at his window….

"_Shikamaru…" _

Chouji rolled his eyes and returned to his bed, falling down onto it lifelessly. His teammate had no respect. He knew he was going through a difficult time, and Shikamaru still wanted to play stupid rock pranks… This time, Chouji was determined to ignore him.

Suddenly, a poof of smoke formed and hovered eerily over the old branch that loomed a few meters from Chouji's window.

"Okay…. I have 7 seconds."

The owl had suddenly spouted vanilla-colored arms and legs. Its beak was replaced by soft lips, and its glowing yellow stare replaced by a determined topaz variant. She fisted a group of gray pebbles in her right hand, all just waiting to be tossed at her teammate's window. Getting past the yard and into this large and ugly tree was easier then she expected. Almost too easy. She was always a fan of the academy basics over the more-powerful and complicated jutsus of the A and S class. A simple Henge and some half-decent footwork had gotten her this far. Some silly shadow controlling skill or a stupid jutsu that made you as large as a house would be of no use on a real infiltration mission, she always figured.

"iOkay. This branch is about 4 meters from his window. It takes a solid 5 seconds for me to reach my target with the jutsu from that distance. I have to perform the jutsu during the 2nd… "second" of the 7-second duration. I have to leave my body before he reaches the window. If I aim right, we should meet each other at the window./i"

Ino realized there was a wide margin for error in her strategy, but it was worth a shot. She positioned her legs to dangle on either side of the branch. She then wrapped her legs around the branch and pulled out some fiber wire from a pouch around her waist. Legs still wrapped around the thick branch, Ino hunched over so her stomach and chest rested against the branch. Without being able to see how good a knot she made, Ino dangled her arms over the branch, and tied her feet together with the wire. She pushed herself upward, and attempted to pull her feet apart to see if the fiber wire was loose. It wasn't. She scooted her body backward to a good view of Chouji, and turned to her right side so she would be facing the window. It was important she start counting the moment he walks away from the bed and toward the window. Hopefully, the tiny branches off-shooting from the main branch and the thin greenery around her were enough to obscure the genin's vision. If he saw her before making it to the window, and decided to ignore her, the entire mission would see its end. Ino took a deep breath. She threw another rock at the window. Thunder sounded again, but it did not move Chouji this time. Ino threw another pebble. Chouji put his pillow over his head. Ino sucked her teeth, and threw more pebbles at the window.

"_Damn it Shikamaru! Can't you take a hint?" _

Chouji tightened the corners of his pillows against his ear as the thunder screamed louder and louder against the glass. Eventually, Chouji rocketed out of his bed in a rage, and brewed over to the window. He would give that lazy bastard a piece of his mind.

"Damn! He's walking too fast! Was that a full second?... Uhhh! Ummm, whatever! I have to do it now!"

The blonde frantically performed the hand seal. In her haste, she almost screwed it up.

**Shintenshin no Jutsu!!!!**

It always felt like she was running at zero gravity whenever she jettisoned her spirit at someone else. As she dreamily levitated closer to her chubby destination, she felt the razor winds of the spirit world howl and claw at her. The winds sounded peaceful and tranquil but they grazed her spirit like a sharpened scythe. It is a very uncomfortable feeling to project yourself out of your own body since the spirit realm did not take kindly to rogue spirits floating around outside of their vessels of flesh. Ino abhorred every painful second. She would hate to miss him, as she would then be forced to wander around this awful realm for several minutes.

"I-Ino?!?!"

Chouji made his way to the window to see what appeared to be his love interest hidden in the green of the family's sacred tree. He saw her hunched over, lifeless, her entire torso looming over the side of the branch. He was frozen in bewilderment for a split second.

"_That's it, big guy… just stay still."_

"Wait a minute…"

Chouji recognized that lifeless position.

Ino was treated to a hilarious face of sudden revelation from her teammate as her spirit phased through his window. She smiled with incorporeal lips.

"Oh, no you don't!"

She giggled as Chouji attempted to turn around and avoid her in vain. The way his body attempted to juke pass her… it was hilarious! Even now, as pissed off at him as she was, he still made her laugh.

A violent force yanked Chouji's head downward. His shoulders slumped, and his arms grew heavy. His knuckles practically touched the ground for a moment. He raised his head with a pair of piranha's teeth and curved eyes.

"Mission complete." Ino said with an evil chuckle, looking at her vessel dangle on the thick branch.

She suddenly grasped her, or rather 'his', head in pain from a slight tremor.

"Its hopeless, big guy… You're not stronger then me in this realm!"

Chouji was attempting to fight back, but she was right. In the thick blackness that housed the spirit within his body, a white silhouette of Chouji's form could be seen lying on its back in defeat. A white, and much larger, silhouette of Ino's form sat atop of him. Her legs wrapped tightly around his sides as she held his arms down with her hands. In total dominance, her form smiled in his form's angry face.

In the material world, Chouji's fruitless struggles were manifest as giving himself a slight headache. He was still attempting to gain the upper hand. Though he wasn't able to force her out of his body, the headaches were still pretty annoying.

"I said its hopeless! Now stop it or… or I'll start rummaging through your room for embarrassing things!"

Still holding his head in anguish of Chouji's fight, she looked around her teammate's disaster of a room. Chicken bones lay all over the floor, bags of half-eaten potato ships were scattered all over his bed… a picture of him dominating a hot dog eating contest a few years ago hanged proudly in a frame above his wall clock. Chances are he was going on an eating binge in his depressed state, and his room was even more wretched and gross then it usually was. This was all filthy and reasonably gag-worthy, but Ino was looking for some real "dirt" on Chouji in an attempt to make his resistance cease. She spied the corner of an unmarked notebook on his dresser beneath an empty pizza box.

"**_Wait… what are you doing?!?!" _**

Chouji caused his voice to boom into Ino's spirit. Ino made his way over to the notebook, and opened it up.

"**_Leave that alone, don't read it!!!" _**

Ino went over the words of the first page within the notebook. She gasped as she got through reading.

"Chouji! YOU keep a diary??!??!"

"…_**.It's a journal, dammit!!!!"**_

Ino laughed loudly with Chouji's throaty vocal cords.

"Hmm… I wonder how Shikamaru and the other guys would respond if I told them you kept a diary!"

"_**A JOURNAL!!! And you wouldn't dare…" **_

"You know I would." Ino grinned.

Chouji remained silent.

"Here's the deal. I won't read another page, I won't tell anyone what I read, and I won't tell the others about your 'journal' IF you cooperate with me." Ino explained. "You and I are going outside to talk. Do not resist me. Just sit back and let me work… Do we have a deal?"

Chouji's silhouette form sucked its teeth.

"Glad we understand each other."

Ino walked out of the room with no resistance from her teammate. She felt very unclean in her teammate's body, and she could smell it. It would appear that Chouji hadn't taken a shower in a few days… the events at the restaurant hit him harder then she once thought. Ino honestly believed it would be the sort of thing they could both laugh at a few days after the fact. Once she was done snapping him out of his slump, she would demand that he soak in the bathtub for a while.

Ino was making her way down the steps when she hesitated. From the top of the steps she caught a glimpse of Chouza's feet, slid under the wooden dinner table. She quickly continued walking when she reminded her nerves that she is currently in the body of his son.

The Shinobi was busy delighting himself with the largest row of barbeque sauce- drenched spare ribs she had ever seen. He ate with dignity and slight piety as he grabbed the ribs by the ends and took modest bites before wiping his mouth. Although the ribs on his massive platter were big enough to feed Ino's entire family, it appeared Chouza actually had some manners. Ino couldn't imagine where Chouji's gorging habits came from. She laid aside her thoughts, and attempted to walk by the eating man without a word.

"Stop right there, Ino…"

"_Impossible! There was no way he could…"_

"**_HA! You thought my dad wouldn't be able to tell the difference? He meditates like 3x a day. He's a real perceptive guy! You're in for it now!!!" _**

The blonde kunoichi stood there, as screwed as she could possibly be. Ino always figured that is was the mother who was able to recognize when their child was 'different'... She didn't stand a chance running from this man in her own slim body so to attempt to escape with THIS body was an exercise in futility… and the stinking sweat would make it even more unbearable to walk around in him. If she just jumped out of Chouji's body and left the household in her own then Chouji might never want to speak to her again for taking over his body in the first place. She turned around to Chouza with her hands placed shyly before her waist and her head down. She displayed her embarrassment and femininity by standing with Chouji's knees slightly inverted against each other. She slowly opened her mouth to apologize.

"… I noticed your movements on my lawn a few minutes ago."

She knew it was way too easy for her to get across the yard. Damn.

"Since I saw the stubbornness in your eyes earlier this morning, I knew you wouldn't let up…. You're father wouldn't let up if he was in your stead either." Chouza guzzled a huge mug of some kind of beverage before wiping his mouth and continuing. "Ino… has Chouji ever told you what I told him about friendship when he was a child?"

"**_What the hell? Dad!! Tell her to get out of my body and to leave me alone!!!"_**

"No. He never has…"

Chouza focused his eyes to his platter of meat with a smile. He expounded.

"I told Chouji that he would find a friend who would see the kindness in his heart, and that this person would become his best friend. I told him he could depend on this friend above all others."

"_**Sigh… knock it off, dad! Forget about that story…"**_

Ino remained silent, her eyes slowly looking up at the side of the shinobi's face.

"I once believed that Chouji had found that one friend in Shikamaru. I misjudged my son's company… I now realize he has two."

Chouza took another bite of his ribs, and turned to Ino with a noble smile. Ino dropped her head, understandably embarrassed by the credit he gave her.

"**_ARRGGHH, damn you dad! Quit being sappy already!!!" _**

"_Shut up, idiot! You'll ruin the moment!"_

Though the battle raged on the inside, Ino caused her head to bow to Chouza calmly. Chouza turned back around to his meal.

"In any event… son… I told your friend Ino earlier that you are at an age where you have to take responsibility for your own decisions." Chouza went on. "It appears you have 'decided' to take a walk outside for a little while."

Ino immediately grinned.

"**_Huh?!??! No I haven't!" _**

"So, just so I am sure, you do want to go outside for a walk… right, Chouji?"

"Yes." Ino spoke with a grin. "A walk outside would do me a world of good."

"**_Dad, please don't do this to me!!! This isn't funny!!!" _**

"Well, who am I to stand in your way? You are free to take a walk outside, as you have chosen."

"Thanks dad." Ino spoke, rubbing it in Chouji's face.

Chouza grinned, before focusing his attention on his high calorie diet once more.

Ino walked confidently out of the Chouza household.

"…**_.My dad is a total sell-out." _**

"_Be quiet! He just knows what's good for you."_

"_**Whatever… once you leave my body, I still don't have to talk to you about anything." **_

_Hmph… I guess we'll see about that, won't we?" _

Ino made her way to the huge tree where her body nested. She leaped up to the branch, wrapped Chouji's legs around the branch, hunched his huge gut over the branch, and began to loose her own feet from the fiber wire. She untied her body's feet with one hand, and loomed the other hand over her drooping torso. Once the fiber wire was untied, she grabbed hold on her shell before it could fall off of the branch. She picked her body up… well; she picked her body up with a struggle. She was gaining a little weigh. She had to remember to go on another diet soon… but she picked her body up and cradled it in Chouji's arms. With her shell in hand she jumped out of the tree, and finally released the jutsu.

If anything felt odder then your free spirit traversing the spirit world it was having that same free spirit return to its original body. It felt like indescribable, like suddenly being ripped out of sleep by a shot to the head from a hammer. Chouji threw his eyelids back violently as he stared down at his teammate. She stared back at him with concerned and agitated eyes. Ino was much lighter then what he would have guessed, as she remained in the cradled care of his arms like a baby… a cranky baby. Her arms were folded, and her legs were bunched together with her knee caps bending over his forearms. This had to be the sexiest baby Chouji had ever seen. Ino looked even better when she was angry.

"I think you can put me down now…" Ino informed.

A slight feeling of detachment was a side effect that occurred occasionally with the body transfer technique…. As well as a side effect of staring at pretty women for too long. Chouji's snapped out of it, releasing her from his grasp immediately.

Ino dropped down against the ground like a bowling ball, and she figured if she were a few pounds heavier she would have dropped through the ground. She needed to go on a diet ASAP. But first, she jumped to her feet and prepared her lungs for a hearty nagging session.

"HOW DARE YOU DROP ME LIKE THAT!!! YOU-"

Ino's heat escaped through her heart when she saw her teammate looking to the ground. He looked so pathetic that it almost made her want to cry. His plump cheeks were weighed down by his frown, and his eyes looked so desperately apologetic. Of course, it wasn't dropping her that he was apologetic about.

When the dejected genin saw his teammate comfort him with sympathetic and warm eyes, he turned his body away from her. He could feel Ino's hand stroke his shoulder seconds before she ever touched him.

"I won't lie to you, Chouji…. What happened in that restaurant was pretty embarrassing."

The large genin dropped his head and closed his eyes as she spoke, taking in this inevitable pep talk. Her voice pulsated with a piece of heaven. She may as well have been singing to him.

"And yes… the people from that restaurant will laugh at you when you see them. But you can't hide in that room forever…"

Chouji sighed. She rubbed both of his shoulders as she spoke on.

"I know you don't want to hear this."

"I don't care if they laugh."

She stopped massaging his shoulders.

"You don't?"

"No."

He broke away from her soft hands and took a few steps away from her, as though it made it easier to say this the further away he was from her.

"I only cared if you laughed."

Of course. Ino looked longingly at Chouji's back for a moment, but didn't open her mouth. This confirmed the sudden feeling of inadequacy she felt when Chouza called her one of Chouji's best friends. She wasn't Chouji's friend at all…. At least, she wasn't until about a year ago. It took him being hauled into a building, lying in a bed with his cells destroying themselves for them to become friends. Doubtless, Ino would have been laughing about the restaurant incident even to this day if he hadn't almost died… But there was no way HE knew that! Therefore, he had no right to assume that she would laugh at him! The nerve of him!

"What kind of friend do you think I am?!?!" Ino suddenly spoke with a smile. She was more comfortable cheering Chouji up with nagging rather then with heart-felt pep talks. "Did it look like I was going to laugh when I saw 'it'?!?!"

"Ummm, well…"

"Well, did I?!??!"

"No…"

"So, what reason did you have to think that I would laugh at you?!?!"

Chouji turned around to Ino.

"Well, you used to-"

"What does 'used to' have to do with the way we are now?"

Chouji honestly felt uneasy the way Ino forcefully walked up to him. She grabbed the end of his white scarf, and began to run her fingers over it. Chouji shot a glance backwards to see if his dad was peeking out the window at them.

"Chouji… I would never laugh at anything that happened to you if I thought it would hurt you." She spoke, looking down at his scarf's fabric. She admitted the rest with a grin. "Besides… there wasn't anything to laugh at, BELIEVE me!"

"What do you mean by that?" Chouji was confused.

She glanced down at his pants for a second without him noticing… She had never seen 'one' before that night, so she didn't know what constituted for a big 'one' or a small 'one'. But… as far as she knew, it was rather large. However, she felt she would keep her perversion to herself. Her teammate wasn't ready for such a compliment.

"Hmm…. Nevermind!" She held the fabric in her hand and looked into Chouji's eyes with a pinch of motherly care. "Now, you will be training with us tomorrow, right?"

Chouji sighed. "…Right."

"And you will keep visiting me at the flower shop, right?"

"Right."

She tugged on Chouji's scarf with force, pulling him so close to her so that the tips of their noses kissed.

"And you will be taking me out on another date soon, right?"

He hesitated for a moment, wanting so badly to kiss her right then and there. He fought it, and answered… well, he would at least answer her question real smooth and sexaul-like.

"Riiigght…"

"Good… I thought so…"

Ino wanted to laugh, but it would spoil the moment.

She stared into his eyes... pressed her left hand against his chest... and twisted his left nipple as hard as she could.

"**AAAAHHHH!!!! W-W-WHAT DIDYA DO THAT FOR???!?!?!" **A deluge of tears poured down his face.

"**THAT** WAS FOR HAVING ME WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU FOR THE PAST WEEK, IDIOT!" She hollered back with pupil-less. "DO IT AGAIN, AND I'LL DO WORST THEN THAT!!!"

She turned sharply from her teammate and began to walk off.

"Oh, and your paying for the entire date this time! And take a shower, or something!!!" Ino exclaimed as she walked down the steps of the yard.

" _Shikamaru was right. I do have to watch out for Ino… such troublesome females."_


	19. Chapter 19

"_Seung Wui, you really screwed up big this time. The moment you tried to start acting like a real mother was the moment you ruined your daughter's life... God, I am so worried about her! I would hope that she gets over this soon, but the way she acts… it's so different then what I would expect of her. I thought she would come running in the house, crying against her pillow, shouting that she hates me… That's what I would expect of her… That's what I would expect of any teenage girl who experienced their first break-up. But rather, she goes on like everything is okay. She laughs, she smiles, she trains… though she's beginning to sleep too much. As soon as training with that Neji child is over, she goes right to bed. She spends almost half of the day sleeping… but apart from that, she acts like everything is okay. In fact, if I didn't ask about it directly, I never would have found out about it…. And because she acts like everything is okay, I know that she is really in pieces on the inside. I know the Hyuuga meant a lot to her… Damn, I wish that she would just drop this stupid facade and TALK TO ME about it! But how could she? If I were in her shoes, I wouldn't want to talk to me about anything either. What kind of mother RUSHES their child into a relationship? How stupid of me… Tenten, in her tender age, is more mature then I could ever be… I should be taking pointers from her…. But I was only trying to help her! I mean, I felt bad because I wasn't there to tell her about the changes she is going through. To think… a medic-nin had to tell my daughter about womanhood for me because **I** was too busy to notice her mood swings. HOW EMBARASSING was that! So, because I felt bad, I wanted to make sure** I** was the one to tell her about boys… to teach her about relationships, and love… And look what became of it… I should have just let Ms. Shizune fill that role too, I suppose... AND NOW here I am trying to feel sorry for myself! I'm pathetic. I just wish I could help her. … God help me. Tenten deserves better then this… I wish I was a better mother." _

Seung stood up on the tips of her toes to reach the latchet of the gate. She pulled the latchet down, covering her fish-stand with a chain-link gate. She pulled out a key, and locked the gate up. She bunched her black coat up over her exposed neck/chest area to shut out the chilling breeze of the night. She made her way back to her home, the night lanterns lighting her way.

"_Great…. I forgot to pick up milk before I started working today." _

_--------------------_

"**THUD!" **

Hinata suddenly jolted out of her slumber, lifting her head back up to a level position and looking around her surroundings with shock It was obviously morning, as light cascaded into the openings of the sliding doors… she appeared to be in one of the rooms of the Hyuuga Manor. Judging from the old splintering wood where she rested her shins and the bland colors of the walls of the room it appeared she was in one of the Branch House abodes…

The clumsy genin rubbed her head after crashing it against the floor. She rubbed her eyes to clear her blurred vision. She looked up to see Neji a few feet away from her, his back turned to her, his shins also against the ground in a meditative stance.

As Hinata put the pieces of the puzzle together, it became clear exactly how she woke up in this situation. A few days ago, she had asked her cousin if she could teach her how to meditate. He accepted. Neji taught her of the breathing exercises that calm the heart and spirit, he taught her about clearing her mind of everything except a solitary goal, and he attempted to teach her how to shield her mind from all distractions of the outside world. So far, Hinata was terrible at it. She was always getting pulled out of her meditation by a fly buzzing about her head or something else stupid. OR, as in this case, she would simply doze off on her shins. The details were still pretty muggy in her tired mind, but it's likely that she and Neji had decided to meditate late last night and instead of eventually going to bed, she just slept on her shins… The Hyuuga girl didn't even have to look at his face to know that Neji had been up meditating all night long. Hinata quietly attempted to begin meditation once more.

"Hinata-sama… You can go get some breakfast now." Neji spoke as his deep, fluid voice caused the quiet and tranquil atmosphere little disturbance. "You don't have to stay with me."

Neji always made it a point to refer to their meditation sessions as "her staying with him". Hinata wasn't fooling anyone. Neji knew of the main goal of these meditation sessions, noting that his little cousin was never interested in the arts of reflection until…

"I-I can meditate a little longer, nii-san… S-Sorry for going to sleep, but I can stay a little longer."

If it were a year ago or two she would have given up, ran off to her own room and probably cried because she felt bad for giving up. His little cousin had changed so much... perhaps even more then himself since the chuunin exams. Not only had she become more confident, but confidence clave to every single letter of her words like honey clave to a honeycomb. There was no way she saw it like this, but almost every mousey sentence she squeaked out held considerable weight in the lives of the people around her. It might have sounded like an exaggeration when spoken aloud, but Hinata had become a living inspiration, a beacon of hope to all around her… To think, she had become almost just like 'him' a few months after 'he' left Konoha…

However, as bright as her words and her presence were, they did little to shake Neji out of the dark cords that bound him. Hinata hated that she couldn't get him out of his plight directly, so she decided to help him through it indirectly. She decided to be near him whenever she got the chance… So, she decided she wanted to learn how to meditate. She didn't know if all the time she spent silently watching over her elder cousin was helping him out at all, but what else could she do?

"Okay then."

Neji responded. To him, it was irrelevant if Hinata's company was making a difference. She wanted to be with him, and Neji wouldn't deny her that right.

"_She wants to be with me.."_

"Hinata…"

Speaking of deep and fluid voices, Hinata turned her head to see who laid claim to this one.

"Shino-kun!" Hinata stood to her feet, brushing off the wood residue from her black pants. "W-what are you doing here so early in the morning?"

Even just standing there at the entrance of the sliding door made some kind of impact. The silent warrior of the Aburame clan, shades before his eyes and hands tucked deeply into his gray coat, complimented the tranquil morning atmosphere perfectly.

"Have you forgotten? Kurenai sensei returns from her mission today, and she has ordered that we meet at the usual place for morning drills."

Hinata wasn't the only one who had a way with words. His, particularly, were like poetry in motion.

"She told us she wished to test our progress when she returned."

"Oh, right! I-I did forget, sorry... I'm ready to go now."

She stared at the back of her cousin's head for a moment… Funny… their relationship since the incident had been much like the conversation they just had. Hinata would try to reach out to him, he would respond… but she would always receive his back… she never got to see his true face anymore….

"I'll see you later, Neji nii-san."

"Fine… We will **meditate** then."

Hinata smiled. Having Neji's back was better then not having Neji at all. She walked out of the Branch House room and into the morning light, confident that she could perfect working with his back.

Shino, curiously enough, stared at Neji's back for a moment as well. His shades and collar made it impossible to read his emotion or his thoughts as he stared at him. Neji remained in the meditative stance, feeling the stoic boy's gaze and receiving whatever it was he was projecting toward him.

"Hm." Shino said before turning to follow his teammate.

Neji closed his eyes once more after they left.

------------

Akamaru growled viciously, bearing fangs as he picked up her scent.

"I know, Akamaru… I can smell her too."

Interestingly enough, Kiba was also bearing fangs as he stared ahead with set eyes. His nose was having one of its 'good days' it seems, as it remained tame despite getting a hefty whiff of that stinking perfume.

She yawned as she walked down the virtually barren marketplace area. It was only 5:15 AM, and most of the chain-link gates of the various stands didn't open up until about 3 hours. She waved and shared some brief greetings with a few of the early bird store owners and shopkeepers her and her father knew, masking her irritation with "Good morning!'s" and "Hey, how have you been's!".

When she saw him off in the distance, she almost agreed with the sudden impulse to just turn around and go back home.

_"Oooohh, I can't deal with Fido this early in the morning! Sigh… Okay Ino… Just shut your mouth, and don't even look at him when you pass him by. If anything happens, he will be the one who started with you" _

She stared ahead with set eyes, nearing a range where she could hear that obnoxious flea bag growling at her.

They continued walking against each other.

Kiba was now close enough to her to see her facial features. She was trying to stare away from him and ignore him completely. That was just like her… Stuck up little twerp. She obviously thought she was too good to say hi to him.

They were now about 8 feet from each other, diagonal, about to cross each other's path. Ino turned her eyes from him and sped up her pace, Kiba stared at her with aggression as he waited for her to at least greet him, Akamaru's growls grew ever louder.

Because of the nasal issues the last time they spoke, Kiba couldn't make his feelings towards her as painfully clear as he usually liked to. Kiba and Ino do not like each other. They never liked each other. They spent the better part of their childhood, academy years, and currently their genin-hood avoiding one another. If you were to ask either of them why they hated each other so much, they would give you hundreds of reasons and it still wouldn't feel like they gave you one **real** reason at all. The truth was there was something inside of both of them… some distant, microscopic shred of their hidden identities that generally didn't show up on most people's radars… that they recognized in each other. They recognized it, but didn't understand it. Because they didn't understand what they saw, they hated what they saw. And because they hated it, they attacked it. Thus, Ino and Kiba would fight because they were fighting against the piece of the other's individuality that no one else seemed to see. Of course, to translate it into **their** terms: She was a bitch, he was a dickhead, and they were pissed because no one else seemed to see it this way.

"Hmph… So what is Her Highness doing up so early in the morning?" Kiba finally spoke as she attempted to pass him by, a fang-ridden grin displaying both his aggression and sarcasm. "Come to mingle with us common-folk?"

Ino froze in her steps.

"_You see? You didn't say a word to him and he still wants to pick a fight! It's not your fault this time!"_

She flung her head around to him with an artic-cold stare.

"Just what the hell is your problem, Fido?!?!"

"I don't have a problem! I was just asking you a question… but if you want me to search for a problem, calling me "Fido" is beginning to get on my nerves!!!"

"Well if the flea collar fits…"

"WHAT WAS THAT!??!" Kiba shouted at her with pupil-less eyes and an enlarged mouth.

"I THINK YOU HEARD ME JUST FINE, **FIDO**!!!" Ino shouted with twisted humor, pupil-less eyes of her own and an even larger mouth.

"KEEP CALLING ME FIDO AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS!!!!" Kiba growled as Akamaru barked.

With that challenge, Ino walked directly in front of Kiba. She elevated her height to meet his by standing on the balls of her feet, and stared him in his beastly eyes.

"**Fido! Fido! Fido!"** She teased him in the melody of a song. She spoke on into his face. "Geez, **Fido, **you sure are cranky in the morning… did you lose your toy bone, or something?"

Kiba's eyes began to shake with fury as he put his hand down to Akamaru to silence his barking. He pushed his forehead against her forehead as he spoke.

"…You… are an annoying. SPOILED. LITTLE. **BITCH**! AND YOU'RE LUCKY THAT I DON'T THINK YOU'RE WORTH THE TROUBLE THAT I WOULD CATCH IF I FED YOUR STUCK UP ASS TO AKAMARU!!!"

Ino forced her forehead back into his so that his back was arching slightly.

"IF YOU HATE ME THAT MUCH THEN WHY DO YOU ALWAYS START WITH ME?!?! I WAS MINDING MY OWN BUSINESS, AND YOU JUST HAD TO OPEN YOUR BIG MOUTH!!!"

Kiba pushed his forehead back into hers.

"I** JUST **WANTED TO KNOW WHY YOU'RE UP SO EARLY!!! OR DO YOU THINK YOU'RE TOO HIGH AND MIGHTY TO ANSWER TO US PEASEANTS???"

Ino pushed back into him once again, but this time only so they could both be at usual footing. He could play forehead games with his lame friends or his filthy mutt, but he would not play them with her. She took a deep breath, and spoke.

"If you have to know, FIDO, I'm covering the morning shift at the flower shop for my dad today. He is away on business at the Wave Country, so I'm stuck selling flowers for the entire day. I am not in a good mood because of this, so I would rather not deal with any gross mangy dog-boys if I could help it. Does that answer your question? Good. Now I have to go open up the shop, SO WHY DON'T YOU RUN OFF AND GO PISS ON A TREE?!!!"

Ino huffed anger-stained breath out of her lungs before turning her head sharply from Kiba and storming away with an enormous, day-ruining attitude.

Kiba remained frozen in his stance for a moment, adequately "dissed" by the kunoichi. Akamaru growled his obscenities to the blonde the whole time, a little angry that his master didn't let him practice some 'dynamic marking' on her. Then Kiba dropped his head, closed his eyes, and revealed his fangs in a smile once again. He began to laugh.

"Heh, I forgot to tell ya… I gotta real kick out of hearing about the "accident" with Chouji at the new restaurant! It made my day!"

"Hmph… well, good for you." Ino kept walking.

"Maybe it was an omen… You should break it off with him." Kiba spoke with shocking seriousness.

For the second time today Ino froze in pure insult.

"**Excuse **me?!?!?"

"Chouji is a good guy… He could do much better then you." Kiba spoke with no wavering or mercy.

Akamaru stopped growling for a moment at the 'intent' Ino was now projecting toward Kiba. It was much more sinister then before.

"…You have a lot of nerve, you little-"

"I know the truth hurts, baby, but its still the truth!" Kiba now spoke with a grin. "I know the type of girl you are… You'll wind up breaking the poor bastard's heart if you keep leading him on like this. Like I said, Chouji deserves better then that."

Kiba's words hurt Ino in a way that she would never give him the satisfaction of knowing. She turned around to him with a feigned smirk.

"Hmph…. It sounds to me like **you **want to take Chouji out! Sorry to disappoint you Fido, but I don't think you're his type!"

Kiba growled lowly before lowering his eyes a little, as though he was ashamed to admit his next words.

"I'm just looking out for a friend…"

They both were silent for a second, realizing they just banged their heads hard against their respective feelings for Chouji. Ino was a little confused… Kiba never really talked to Chouji at all, and vice versa. Since when did he start considering him a 'friend'?

"….. Well, your 'friend' is in good hands, so do me a favor and mind your own business from now on."

Ino allowed a little piece of her heart to be shown through her words to make it clear to Kiba that he just crossed a line.

"Tch." Kiba responded.

"I have no idea what Sakura sees in you." Ino spoke with hatred.

"What did you just say about Sakura?" Kiba's eyes brightened for a moment.

Though Ino's dislike for Kiba was pretty strong, her natural attraction to play the role of 'match-maker' was much stronger. Besides, she figured it might be fun to watch Kiba freak out whenever Sakura was around. She spoke on with a grin.

"Yeah… I think Sakura sort of has a thing for you. Maybe if you weren't so busy watching me and Chouji you would have noticed it." Kiba didn't say a word. Ino spoke on. "She was worried about you since the last time we spoke… what was wrong with you, anyway?"

"I was having trouble with my nose…"

"What does the mean?"

"I'm not sure. It doesn't matter… What do you care?"

"I don't care."

"Then don't you have some flowers to sell? Were done now… off you go."

Ino glared at him before walking off. She couldn't help but get in some final words before departing from the dog-boy for the day.

"Oh, and I hope you know that I will never let Sakura mess up her life AND her reputation by actually dating you."

"It was nice talking to you too!" Kiba yelled to her back while presenting her a raised middle finger.

Ino finally walked out of view.

"_Hmm... Sakura…" _

Akamaru continued his growling. Kiba ran his hand over his friend's snout.

"….Lets go, boy. Forget about her…. We have to hurry and meet with the others at the usual place."

---------

a/c Heh... managed to get this done in the midst of all these annoying finals... anyway, if you are complaining in the review section about not seeing your favorite pairing updated in a particualr chapter, JUST GIVE ME TIME! I have to give every pairing an equal amount of time to shine...

Also, you probably noticed that the tone of the content (stronger cussing, suggestiveness of Ino's words about Chouji's 'size') is getting a little stronger. The next coming chapters will be what earned this fic a T rating. Just thought you should know that...

There are way more people viewing this fic then they are responding to it according to my stats… for the love of all that is good and pure, GIVE ME SOME FEEDBACK!!! Review the blasted fic, people:(


	20. Chapter 20

Akamaru darted away from his master's view as their tree-hoping brought them ever closer to one of the many forest clearings of Fire Country. The genin did not worry about his faithful companion's whereabouts, as he knew exactly where he was heading.

Kiba caught the branch of the final tree with a firm grip, and swung about that branch in the spirit of a monkey. After doing a 180 circular motion around the branch Kiba released his grasp and soared through the morning sky for a second. He came crashing down to the grass-less clearing area with a triumphant "YAHOO!!!!" marking his arrival. Despite his run-in with Ino, Kiba was in a good mood this morning. It seemed like ages since Team 8 had trained as a complete 3-man cell.

Shino watched on as Kiba landed hard on the ground before him, unmoved and unsurprised by his excited teammates display.

"Ah! Shino! Long time no see!!!"

Kiba spoke loudly as he raised his head to Shino, recovering from the impact of his landing that forced his head downward for a split second. As usual, the loud, raspy and explosive bundle of sound known as 'Kiba's voice' had shattered the tranquility and serenity that Team 8 would constantly enjoy if they were only assigned a different teammate.

_"Hm… he's never going to change."_

"Greetings, Kiba."

"Sorry if I'm a little late. I ran into some trouble on the way here!"

"You are not late. Kurenai sensei has yet to arrive." Shino answered.

"Really? The last to arrive… That's not liker her at all." Kiba responded, his eyes searching around for Akamaru.

"My thoughts exactly. Perhaps she is planning something." Shino spoke on stoically.

"You could be right. We should stay sharp... Where's Hinata and Akamaru?"

Akamaru's barking is soon heard behind the trees just before the clearing, as though by cue. Hinata abruptly burst out of the greenery of those trees onto the clearing, breathing a bit harshly. She gasped in excitement as Akamaru once again pounced on her from behind, pinned the poor girl to the ground, and ruthlessly licked her face. Hinata let out sudden burst of nervous and joyful laughter, being both uncomfortable and pleased by the dog's hearty welcome. Akamaru had been chasing down and pouncing on the Hyuuga since the moment he caught her scent, and Hinata tried in vain to escape him and his punishing tongue lashes. She would attempt to shield herself from his tongue with her hands, or she would try to calm him down by rubbing his snout, but this only made Akamaru want her more. Like Sakura, Hinata was one of Akamaru's "favorites". The young women appeased two separate needs of the dog. Sakura held the position as Akamaru's naughty and sultry 'temptress', teasing him and driving him mad with her forceful caresses and her 'dirty talk'. Hinata, on the other hand, held the position as his innocent and pure "sweetheart" who, despite his many advances toward her with his pouncing and heavy tongue kisses, refused to 'put out'. Her modesty and adorably submissive attitude set the passion-driven dog ablaze… Of course, Kiba was the only one who knew of Akamaru's filthy and scandalous intentions. Shino had his suspicions as he noted that the dog never gave any of the males this sort of attention. They both watched the entire display with wads of sweat rolling into their coats.

"AKAMARU! Get off of her and get back here right now!" Kiba called out to the dirty dog, who obeyed his master with a pungent whimper.

Hinata stood to her feet and wiped her drool-washed face with the front part of her brown jacket.

"I-I didn't mind it too much, Kiba-kun." Hinata spoke, showing a little amusement in her tone. "I didn't mean to get Akamaru in trouble with you…"

Akamaru barked a 'told you so' to his master while sticking out his tongue. The dog then immediately dropped his head when Kiba responded with an 'angry father' glare.

"Don't vouch for him, Hinata. He knows he isn't supposed to jump on anyone like that unless I tell him to." Kiba responded. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine! Even though he's getting very big… he still didn't hurt me."

"He **better** not have." Akamaru placed his tail between his legs to cover himself from his master's anger.

"Have you learned any new techniques with Akamaru?" Shino interjected, walking toward Hinata and Kiba so they were all standing in a circular formation.

"Yep!" Kiba exclaimed. "That's why I can't wait to get these morning drills started! You guys have to see how strong we are now!"

"Yes… I-I am anxious too. It has been so long since we have all trained together as a team…. It sounds silly, but I missed being with you all." Hinata smiled to the ground with a blush.

"It doesn't sound silly at all." Shino responded.

"Yeah… It HAS been a good while." Kiba continued, the two of them telling Hinata that they missed each other too in their own language.

Kiba grinned at the Hyuuga's embarrassed face, his eyes slowly leading down to her feet… he still wasn't used to seeing her stand with her knees straight and her feet not clumsily inverted. He had known her as the helpless and clumsy teammate for so long his mind was having trouble seeing anything other then that… though the fact that her beautiful hair was beginning to grow was helping him to see her… 'differently', so to speak. She now had her hands cupping one another before her chest, as though she was praying…

"…Have you gotten any stronger, Hinata?" Kiba spoke, finding that somewhat deviant grin hard to remove from his face.

"Yes." Hinata answered with shocking conviction and powerful simplicity that caused both Shino and Kiba to stare at her, as though searching for the old Hinata in her lavenders.

Although one could never tell with Shino's smothering apparel over his face, it was still safe to assume that Hinata's answer hit Kiba the hardest…. well, 'something' that belonged to Hinata definitely hit him. Kiba hated modesty in any form, especially in the people who were close to him. The pulsating passion and wicked certitude in her eyes was very attractive to him... it made **her** very attractive to him.

The Hyuuga was usually completely oblivious to the idea of boys finding her attractive but even she was picking up signals from the exposed fangs of Kiba that caused her to blush.

Shino stared at Kiba as he stared at her, exercising a silence that was a pinch more 'silent' then he usually worked with.

Kiba suddenly gasped as he felt his mouth pool with saliva like a ditch pools rainwater. He covered his nose preemptively to no avail. The ruthless scent drilled through the openings of his tight fingers, and raised hell within his sensitive nostrils. The genin grunted in discomfort and shut his eyes tightly to better resist the smell. Hinata was standing pretty close to him, so the smell conquered him that much quicker. Hinata, like the others, had a unique scent… hers smelt like fresh-baked bread, or cookies. He abruptly turned away from her in a stumble-hearty stupor.

An exclamation mark literally appeared above his teammate's heads.

"Kiba-kun?!?!"

"What's wrong!?!?"

Kiba didn't bother answering them. His teeth dripped with fluids as he frantically dug into his coat pocket. Hinata and Shino's exclamation mark curved into a question mark as he turned back around with a nervous grin and a thick handkerchief held over his nose. He stuffed the corners of the fabric so far into his nostrils that he could almost feel them dangling in the back of his mouth.

"N-nothing to worry about, guys!" he finally answered.

Shino and Hinata stared at each other.

"Kiba-kun, is something-" Kiba's eyes widened as Hinata moved close to him. He took a step back as she stepped forward. The handkerchief can only ward off the attack for so long if she insisted on advancing toward him "-wrong with your nose?"

"STOP!" Kiba suddenly shouted while Akamaru hopped into an offensive stance in front of Hinata, which he hated to do. The Hyuuga stopped in her tracks with shock.

Shino's eyebrows arced upward to Kiba's reaction of the young princess's concern. Interesting…

"Hinata, I figured it out." Shino suddenly spoke as Kiba shot a glare toward him. "Kurenai sensei is hiding somewhere, and our training has already begun."

"Huh?" was Hinata's response, her eyes slowly leaving Akamaru with caution. A "huh" also loomed in Kiba's thoughts of Shino's words.

"She is attempting to ambush us without being detected, despite our expert tracking capabilities. I have heard of a special gas recently designed to immobilize shinobi with sensitive smelling skills. The harmful fumes are practically odorless to us, but Kiba can smell it like its right In front of him. Akamaru probably picked up the scent, and reverted to a battle stance because of it."

"I-I see…" Hinata said with slight confusion.

"Sensei is smart enough to have found an excellent hiding place, so I doubt that your Byakugan would find her from our position in the clearing… Hinata, I need you to head into the forest south of this area about 20 meters, and then scout the area for her. I'll have some of my destruction bugs scout the perimeter up to the remaining 19 meters while I stay here and attempt to flush out the harmful chemicals from Kiba's body with the remainder of my bugs."

Shino ordered with power while Kiba still shielded his nose with a raised eyebrow.

"…Are you certain, Shino-kun?"

"Yes I am. Now please go before Kurenai sensei reveals her next hand in this game of hers."

"R-Right!"

Through the blackness of his shades, Shino watched Hinata jump to the nearest tree before jumping to another. She was eventually out of view… Kiba slowly took the handkerchief from his face. He could still smell her doughy scent, but there were only faint traces of it at this point.

"…. That special gas you mentioned, it-"

"Doesn't exist. Correct."

Wow. Kiba always knew that Shino was incredibly observant and had a keen gift for thinking on his feet, but to fabricate such a detailed story so quickly was phenomenal.

"Now tell me. What just happened to you a few seconds ago?" Shino cut right to the point.

Kiba sighed. He walked over to a large tree, leaned against it, and allowed himself to slump down under the weight of his stressful nasal problems. He rested his head on the tree's pillow of bark, and his backside felt right at home on the morning dew of the grass. Being the "wild child" he was, Kiba was no stranger to resting like this in the forest. Akamaru, now level with his master's head, sat by his side.

As expected, Kiba did not share his personal problems with people often apart from Akamaru. He did not have many friends that he was on speaking terms with to begin with, and the ones that he did speak to… he never 'really' spoke to them. He had two prominent reasons for this: 1). His problems were his own, and It wasn't anyone's business what he was going through. 2). He hated people who whined all the time. Sharing your problems whining about them. Better to tough it out then cry like a baby about it. However… Kiba knew Shino… he knew he was much more sensitive then he looked. His teammate had a tendency to hold a grudge. If Kiba decided to pretend like nothing was wrong after Shino showed him concern and tried to help him, the bug boy would definitely take it personally. It was never wise to offend him…. Kiba was terrified enough of his teammate when he was in a 'good mood'. Besides, to be honest…. Shino was easily Kiba's best friend. Though they were almost polar opposites, they had been through too much as teammates to be anything but best friends. They were best friends who barely hang out or speak to each other outside of training and missions…. they were best friends by force, actually making them more like 'brothers'… That's not even to mention that Kiba wouldn't have to worry about Shino revealing his problems to the rest of Konoha. Yep. If there was anyone he could talk to, it was Shino.

"…. I smell girls…" Kiba looked up into the high branches of the tree as he continued resting his head against it.

"I'm…. not sure I follow."

"I. SMELL. GIRLS! How else can I say it?!?" Kiba exclaimed while looking at Shino, knowing that he would make him go into details.

"I was under the assumption that you could always smell girls and boys alike."

"Yeah, but… I smell girls 'different' every now and then… like the smell is coming in too strong. It hurts like hell."

"…. Have you noticed a pattern in the type of girls that you smell 'differently'?"

Kiba looked back up at the high branches of the tree again. He thought about it… and saw the pattern a while ago. There was one issue with that pattern, however.

_"Hmmm… there's Ayame, the girl from the ramen shop… Anko-kun… that one girl that lives across from my house… Sakura… Hinata… all girls you think are hot. But… you smelled Hana… your SISTER, Hana… So that can't be the right pattern… can it!?!?" _

The disturbing thought seized Kiba and caused disgust to dance on his face… that was until he remembered that he and Hana agreed that the situation never happened. Ever. He never picked up her scent. He never looked opened that door. It never happened… He felt comfortable enough to speak now, but still hesitated.

"They're all girls that I think are cute…"

"Huh?"

"You heard me right!" Kiba exclaimed. "The smell only comes in painful when I think the girl is cute."

"… The pain is the only thing that comes with the scent?"

"Yep."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Hm…"

Kiba stared at Shino, waiting for him to give him some advice without actually asking for it. The Aburame boy remained silent… The silence began to get to Kiba, beating a confession out of him. He began spilling his guts a bit more. This was Shino's intention. Kiba put his head down.

"… I drool when I smell them."

Shino remained silent.

"…. And once I get their scent… I can't stop thinking about them!"

Akamaru yelped and tilted his head to his master's confession. He didn't hear this part of his problem. Realizing there was some validity to the proverb "The truth shall make you free.", Kiba cracked even further, soon falling into pieces.

"Its like I can't get them out of my mind! Even after I leave, I can still see flashes of the girl in my head! I see flashes of their bodies and their legs in my head! Then I get really nervous around them and I feel funny… It feels GOOD, but still funny! I try to think about something else when it happens, but it's hard! Don't get me wrong, I always liked girls, but I never wanted one this bad before…. It's like I NEED one!"

Kiba looked panicked and helpless, as though he was trying to convince a judge that sentenced him to death of his innocence. In a way, it was somewhat comical. Had Shino been the jolly type, he would have doubled-over with laughter. Not only was the manner in which he screamed out his confession hilarious, but his overreaction to the situation absolutely took the cake. The scene was every bit as pathetic as it was humorous. However... Shino knew Kiba…. he knew he was much more sensitive then he looked. If Shino attempted to make light of this situation after Kiba shared such intimate problems with him, he would definitely take it personally. As a comrade and a friend, Shino concealed the tickled amusement in his throat as he spoke.

"I'm guessing you haven't told your mom or any other adult…"

"Of course not! I've only told you and Akamaru."

The Aburame boy was about to do much more talking then he was used to. Shino took in a deep breath to prepare himself for some vocal cord abuse.

"Have you seen Rock Lee recently?" Shino questioned.

"No…" Kiba looked confused.

"If you did see him, he would inform you that you are going through 'The Spring Time of Youth'. He has been going around the village telling all the young genin and chuunin he sees about it."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"It has to do with you because you ARE going through The Spring Time of Youth… Only the correct word for The Spring Time of Youth, in this case, is 'puberty'".

"Puberty?" Kiba looked even more confused.

"Yes."

"…. Never heard of it."

"You never heard of it because it isn't included in our Academy's curriculum. I heard about it during a mission with my dad in the Bear Country. A strange man asked me if I wanted to marry his daughter. Of course, I refused. He told me it was because I hadn't hit puberty yet…. so, I found out all I could about the word after that."

Kiba listened on.

"Puberty is the period of transition from childhood to manhood. During the ages of 12-15, your body goes through strange and awkward changes. You suddenly get taller, your voice gets deeper, hair grows everywhere… and your mind becomes intensely focused on girls… This is because your body is now producing certain 'fluids' that are supposed to be released during reproduction… These fluids collecting and backing up inside your body, along with hormones, is what causes you to want a girl so badly."

"Ohhh, fluids backing up!!!" Kiba said suddenly with an embarrassed blush. "Is that why my bed sheets… you know what I mean…"

"Yes, Kiba… That's called a nocturnal emission. You didn't pee on yourself."

Akamaru barked out and revealed his tongue.

"SHUT THE HELL UP! This isn't funny!" Kiba shouted at his dog. He focused on Shino again. "So how do I stop it?!?!"

"You can't… it eventually stops with time."

"Oh…" Kiba calmed down under the assurance of this torment ending.

"My assumption is that because of the special relationship your clan has with the dogs that you raise and train, your smelling abilities have also been affected by puberty. You are beginning to show characteristics of a dog in 'heat' when you're around girls you find 'cute'."

"Oh…. I guess that all makes sense." Kiba spoke on somewhat sheepishly. "…Are you going through puberty too?"

"I don't see how that's relevant." Shino stared at Kiba, who was surely thankful at times like these that he could not see his eyes.

"S-sorry, just curious!!" Kiba said quickly. "…Thanks for the help."

"No problem…"

The leaves of the tall tress rustled in the silence, whispering to one another about the two shinobi's educational discussion.

"…. So… You think Hinata is cute then?" Shino spoke finally, his usual disposition being muddled by all the talking he just did.

"Sure." Kiba wasn't ashamed. "… Don't you?"

Shino cleared his throat, and turned his head slightly to the side. He didn't say a word. Kiba grinned thoughtfully with his eyes closed. He was able to speak "Shino-nese" better then his silent teammate realized.

"I hear ya loud and clear, man…" Kiba spoke. "…I wonder if she even-"

"Guys!"

Kiba and Shino immediately moved around the area as though they were scouting as they heard her voice. Hinata looked confused at the distress in her teammate's faces.

"… Is everything okay?" She asked.

"Everything is fine… It turns out that there was no gas. It appears Kiba Is just suffering the symptoms of a common cold." Shino spoke boldly.

"I already figured that out."

"How?!?" Kiba questioned sharply with his handkerchief over his nose. It appeared his nose's tantrum were completely random, as no powerful scent came to vex him.

"I-I met a jounin while I was scouting. He told me Kurenai sensei sent him. He said morning drills were canceled because she had to have an urgent meeting with the Fifth." Hinata explained with a tiny attitude, obviously disappointed.

"Damn.." Kiba said.

"There's always next time…" Shino spoke.

The morning sun had finally reached its ideal place in the morning sky, pouring a ray of yellow over the 3 genin as they stood in silent thought. None of them wanted to leave just yet.

"R-right. I have to go back home now… Bye Shino-kun, Kiba-kun." Hinata thought to ask them if they wanted to hang out for the day, but she was anxious to get back to Neji.

Kiba and Shino watched Hinata run off and disappear into the woods.

**"Later." **They said simultaneously before walking off to their usual past-times


	21. Chapter 21

She sat with her legs crossed, fidgeting uncontrollably as she stared down at the piece of paper. Her arms were crossed, and her eyes were overflowing with anxiety and troubled thoughts... but she was thankful that she was feeling something. When the sun arose to its peak in the afternoon sky directly above Konoha she was forced to kidnap her feelings, gagging them and cutting off their voices so they remained docile in her heart. She did this because she had an afternoon routine, which was once her joy but is now her burden that requires her to numb her emotions so that she could function in said routine. But in recent days, by reason of that bothersome note that sat atop the wooden desk in her room, she was forced to feel something other then the constant struggle of those feelings trying to burst forth from the fetters she kept them bound in. Yes... the anxiety felt quite nice. It didn't hold a candle to the refuge she found in her sleep, but it was still better then the alternative.

She suddenly put her fist to her chin, and turned away from the note. She glanced at the note for a moment, and then turned her entire body away from the note by shifting her position on the edge of the bed to the right of the writing desk. She looked down at her toes that peaked out of her footwear, wiggling them so she could have something interesting to look at... Toe wiggling turned out to be pretty uninteresting. She uncrossed her legs and stretched out her body over the bed. She stared up at the ceiling. It was vanilla-colored. She immediately sat up to stare at the note once more. She walked over to the note, and ran her eyes over the contents. Yep. Just as expected. It was every bit as pathetic and creepy as it was the last 59 times she read it. There was no way anyone would read this note outside of herself. She dropped the note back on the desk and paced back and forth in her room.

"**Sweetie?"** A full and light voice beckoned her from outside her room.

"Yeah, mom?" She called back as she paced on, demanding her voice not to reveal her bothered and anxious mood.

"**You know I plan on taking the day off today, right?" **The voice continued.

"I know..."

"**Okay... While I'm here, is there anything you wanted to talk to me about?" **

"No, nothing I can think of." She responded as she rolled her eyes over the note for the 61st time.

"**...Tenten, are you sure?"** She was usually able to keep the same tone when it came to matters such as this, but somehow that natural gift eluded her.

"I'm sure, mom." She dropped the note on her desk once more.

"**...Alright then." **

Seung stayed in her room for her entire day off.

Tenten walked over to her window, and stared out of it for a moment before she was reading the note again. It was a really silly note. She had no idea why she wrote it. She knew good and well that the only thing that could come of it was her looking really childish and stupid. She should have thrown it away along time ago. For the 62nd time, she didn't even quite put it down before she read it over again. Her face muscles took a plunge, and her lips curved to the bottom sides of her chin as she looked over the black scribbles she made on this piece of paper. She had folded it and unfolded it into different creases many times over. Everyday for the past week she had been folding the note to fit her pocket only to unfold it and place it back on her desk... She glanced up at her clock. She had to leave now or she'd be late. Training... it had now been an entire month since she stopped planning illogical and pointless battle tactics in their training... Yes... for 29 days she had enjoyed her new role as a weapon-tossing zombie.

She suddenly began to tear a large portion out of the note. She looked over the 1/3 of the note she held in her right hand. This was all she really needed. She crumbled up the larger slice of the paper in her left hand, and discarded it into a nearby waste basket. It was just a bunch of useless repetitions anyway... She now placed the 1/3 of the paper on the desk before walking over to the window. It looked pretty nice out today... that same gray cat keeps passing by the neighborhood. Where did it come from? She walked back to the desk and looked over the piece she held in her hand one last time... It still felt really foolish to do this, but it was better then the alternative... she delicately bunched up the piece of the note into a ball smaller then a pea. She suddenly tossed it as fast as she could. She gasped as it left a tiny crack in her wall... She judged that the distance between her and the wall wasn't great enough for the paper ball to pick up that much speed but apparently she had progressed more then she realized. She was lucky that impact didn't make too much of a sound... or her unusually quiet mother didn't hear it... What was with her recently, anyway?

She picked up the paper ball again, and this time threw it with much less force. It zoomed across the room and banged into the wall. Considerable amount of speed, but not deadly. Good. She picked up the paper ball, placed it inside her pants pocket, grabbed her usual weapon scrolls, and headed out of her room. She walked across the hall, and opened the door leading outside. She paused for a moment.

"_... Well, here goes..." _

"Mom! I'm going training now!"

"**...Tenten?" **Though her daughter did an excellent job of masking the hurt, she couldn't hide the slight change in her 'intentions' from her mom.

"Yeah?"

"**You sound different..."**

"Errr, I don't feel any different!... You've been different lately yourself... Are you okay, mom?"

"**I'm fine... Anyway, have a good time." **

**----------------**

The drowsy eye of Konoha was beginning to close under the heaviness of its eyelid, casting an ever darker shade of blue into the sky. In but a few hours the eyelid would shut completely, and the Village Hidden in Leaves would find itself once again hidden in darkness. The sun made its round for the day, and was ready to punch out. However, the morning star seemed to put in extra hours as it loomed in the purple sky. It certainly had a good reason to work overtime. It felt something coming. The clouds lacked the foresight to stay with the sun a little longer. They dispersed and left the evening sky clear. It was their loss. The sun knew better. Something was definitely brewing. Some unseen powers were moving knavishly about... conniving and plotting within the shadows of life. They were ready to make their move... The sun would tell the clouds all about what they missed with a blinding grin in the morning after.

Of course, he paid no mind of the unseen powers that move in the shadows of life. To him, it was either they were not in control at all, or they could only take him so far before he broke their cords asunder. Fate laid no claim on him... Yet in still, that feeling that he was running away from 'something' was undeniable. It definitely explained the haste in his movements as he made his way through the bare backstreets of the Konoha marketplace. His anxiousness and anticipation, much like the two buildings that couched him in the tiny alleyway, enclosed around him as he continued his escape from that "something"... But what was it? He hated the lack of clarity, and was frustrated because the lack of clarity was further empowered by the knowledge that the "something", which he felt as chilled fear on the back of his neck, possibly had many faces. He first assumed he was running from both his good sense and better judgment, which oftentimes kept him anchored in the midst of storms of mischief that cast his unwise peers into a sea of great folly. Yeah, that was likely what he felt. He knew what he was doing was quite foolish and dangerous... of course, he could be running from his uncle.. or rather, running from the responsibility and dedication of the ideals that were housed in his uncle's eyes. He was hardly the type to complain about the weight on his shoulders being too heavy, so it would stand to reason that he now ran from those weights in secret rather then pick them and up and drop them in the open... Perhaps he was escaping perfection. Perhaps all these faces of the "something" were the same thing.

Despite the dread that tore at him from behind him, He made his way through the backstreets of Konoha with a look that almost passed for actual 'control' and 'assurance'. Though a dark hand dipped in the chill of fear certainly clawed at his back... an unfamiliar hand painted in soft unfamiliar colors, with nails deeply embedded in unfamiliar regions of his being, had hooked him... and this note, rolled up into a ball smaller then a pea, was the bait.

He un-crinkled the crinkled paper for the 5th time today, and looked it over to remind himself why he was escaping. His eyes went over the scribbled-down directions of where he was escaping to. He exited the suffocating alleyway and stepped out into the marketplace. The crowd of the marketplace was understandably much thinner in the evening. It was 7PM, which was a transitional hour for the shopping area. This was when the owners of the stores and stands return to their abodes, and the revelers came out of their holes with booze-drenched blushes and toothless grins. Most of the 'debauchees' of Konoha made sure they were thoroughly intoxicated before night actually came just to save time. Neji activated his Byakugan for a moment to look behind without turning around. He wanted to make sure that the enemy that was chasing hard after him was just as invisible as he expected... His excited veins soon sunk back into his clouded head. There was nothing pursing him that was external. The Hyuuga was so deep in worry and wracked with deadly curiosity that he didn't need to work hard to ignore the drunken jeers of the folk on every side of him. He moved through the scattered patches of the crowd like they didn't come into his line of vision.

The Hyuuga walked on and made his way to the nether parts of the marketplace. He stopped his advancement right before the small blacksmith's shop that was but a few blocks south of the Ramen stand. Unlike the others shops, the blacksmith's place was neither to the left or the right of the walkway. Because the store was the exact end of the marketplace, it sat right in the middle of the road, ending the walkway. He took note of the soot-laced footprints that were left beneath the heavy boots of the smithy on his departure from a hard day of work.

"_This is the meeting place..."_

Honestly, apart of him didn't want to stop walking at all. Neji knew that if he stopped walking that he would face his invisible foes. He knew he would feel the cold hand gripping his neck and dragging him back from whence he came. He took a seat on the small steps that led to the blacksmith's door with his back facing the shop. His head sunk low and his eyelids covered the half of his lavender's. For once, he was trying not to think about what he was doing as he awaited her arrival. He knew that his thoughts would only weaken his resistance of the cold hand that felt a lot like reality.

He waited and waited and waited some more. She told him to come here and she wasn't even here. Maybe she allowed her good sense and better judgment to drag her back home... He would be proud of her if she did, but more then likely she was just running late due to hesitation. He was beginning to feel the bitter breeze in the evening air. Not thinking was proving to be a challenge for him, considering focus and contemplation were a huge part of his life. It was a challenge he wasn't up for. The thoughts that he had been holding back since he took a seat some 20 minutes ago had suddenly burst forth from their enclosure like a powerful stream burst forth from the incomplete dam of a beaver. The flood of thoughts washed over his mind all in one huge wave.

"_Why am I entertaining this?__ ... I'm only fooling myself... Not only that, I'm giving her false hope. I should just go home... Despite my intentions, this can't end good. You can't play with fire and not expect to get burnt. I should have ended this in the afternoon."_

The thoughts shot out from his mind like so many senbon, the words piercing through the unfamiliar regions within and attempting to stimulate every sensible part of his being. And, as he expected, the hand of dread caught up with him once more. However... as the chill-dipped fingers of that dark hand penetrated through him... he came to realize that it was quite comfortable. The dread was right... the "something" was only trying to save them both from the heartache that awaited this little meeting. It turned out Neji's first guess was right... he was trying to run from his good sense and better judgment, but he couldn't. He would return to the dark cords that bound him once again... Though the cords were like a leash about his neck, there was no shame in wearing a leash if it meant someone you cared about didn't get bitten. The Hyuuga slowly stood to his feet and set his mind on heading home before the hand of unfamiliarity had an opportunity to take hold of his heart once more.

"Neji..."

Where some invisible hand of alluring curiosity failed, a high pitched voice coming from the left side of him succeeded on all levels. His heart almost felt cleansed and his spirit rejoiced when he heard that motivation behind her voice like he hadn't heard it in a month. However... despite the momentary loss of control, Neji's good sense was still holding the reins. He would talk to her, but only to put an end to any foolish ideas she might be getting. He had to remind her of the agreement.

"Tente-"

Had his Byakugan been activated, he would have noticed it... But he didn't. She was quick. As Neji turned to his left he beheld his love reaching into his hair and around his head! His heart paid its homage to every fiber of her beauty, grace, and boldness by skipping a beat at her sudden approach. Of course, Neji himself looked only half-stunned. He didn't know what she was doing, but he didn't stop her... Good sense and better judgment failed.

Tenten didn't look into his eyes as she continued to fiddle her fingers beneath his magnificent hair. She looked exactly like Neji felt as he made his way down here. She was anxious and scared. Judging by her frantic hand movements and her body language, it appeared that she was currently operating on nervous energy. She was much better at casting her good sense and better judgment aside then her logic-minded sweetheart.

"Tenten!?!?"

Neji exclaimed in more shock then anger as her intentions were made clear. She was now beginning to run away with Neji's forehead protector in her hand. Now this girl had confused him plenty of times before, but this absolutely took the title of the MOST confusing thing she ever did.

"Just follow me!"

She responded simply before using the momentum of her initial sprint to rocket up to a nearby rooftop. Soon, she had hopped to another rooftop.

Neji's naked forehead was in pain as the cold wind rushed against it whilst he hopped from rooftop-to-rooftop. The skin of his forehead was extremely sensitive because Neji NEVER took off that forehead protector for anything apart from bathing. Though the curse seal just above his lavender eyes no longer meant a thing to him because of his freedom from fate, it was still something he would rather conceal. To Neji, it wasn't exactly fashionable to walk around with that symbol exposed... And Tenten knew this. The Hyuuga was understandably angry, but would allow the girl to explain herself whenever they reached their destination. As speedy as Tenten had become, Neji could simply run her down right now and take back his forehead protector if he so willed. But... his curiosity had to be satisfied and final resolutions had to be made.

She was only a rooftop apart from him with every leap. His focus on what needed to be resolved became diluted as he took in the river-smooth flow of her body... he noted that her movements had that 'spunk' that she was lacking since the agreement. She was so gorgeous... He noted the jounin that were patrolling on the rooftops as they passed them by... Tenten could have had any one of those guys if she wanted them... In fact, had she chosen any of them, she would be happy right now.. she wouldn't have to 'wait' for them... he almost smirked when he thought of how unfortunate they all were that she hadn't chose them. Neji later caught a glimpse of his forehead protector held tightly in her grasp, the fabric swaying in the wind as she ran. This snapped him out of his rose-scented thoughts and he then resolved to holdfast his focus and anger.

Tenten continued her roof hopping with a rejuvenated look on her face. She was experiencing a rainbow of emotions as she felt that wind hit her skin and toss about her bangs. She was relieved he had decided to come, nervous and unsure of how exactly to say what she had to say, happy that she was about to actually talk to him after what seemed like an eternity, and deeply sad that it might be another eternity before she would have this opportunity again... in the end, an awkward smile decorated her face.

They were finally there. Tenten slipped down the space between two buildings back in the marketplace, and landed gently on the ground. Neji followed soon after. The Hyuuga followed the Weapon Master through the space between the two buildings, and walked across the dusty road to her mom's fish stand. The two walked behind the fish stand, and stopped in front of a white backdoor. Tenten's eyes went over the area a few times until she was confident that no one was watching them. Neji wanted to take his forehead protector back right then, but he continued to wait for the girl to get settled. Eventually, Tenten pulled out a key from her pants pocket, forced it into the semi-broken lock of the backdoor, wiggled it a few times, and unlocked it. She entered the darkness and flicked a switch within the stand that revealed a tiny storage room filled with barrels of ice and fish.

"Please come in..."

She spoke while standing beside the open doorway, looking rightfully guilty and shamefaced.

Neji walked into the storage room with his eyes stern and unforgiving. As he was about to pass her by, she held out his forehead protector to him.

"...I only took it to make sure you would follow me all the way here. I didn't want you to change your mind and go home."

Neji snatched the forehead protector without a word, and fully walked into the room. Tenten shut the door behind him... As Neji made his way to the parcel of wall that wasn't blockaded from him by the barrels, Tenten looked lost for a split second. She looked around the claustrophobic closet of a storage room hawkishly and made her perch atop an enclosed barrel of fish to the right side of the door. Neji, only a few feet from her at a diagonal from her position, leaned against the wall with his forehead protector in his grasp and his arms folded.

The two of them breathed in the comfort of being alone with each other for a moment, despite the differing feelings flying about between the both of them. Yes, despite their moods, the powerful comfort and silent joy of just being around the other without walking on eggshells was something to be savored. It was enough to make either of them tear... After taking in the freedom of each other's company, Tenten just stared at the Hyuuga with hurt and tired eyes, complete with a decrepit smile. Neji couldn't keep a stern look under the pressure. He allowed his focus to slip for a moment and stared right back at her with painfully truthful eyes, displaying that the last month was certainly no picnic for him either. They allowed themselves to take in the burdens and hurt that came with the agreement, attempting to alleviate the pain for but a moment... They weren't very successful, but at least they now knew that they were both suffering, and there is always strength to be found when you know that you are not alone.

Soon, some force had entered the room with them, impeding on their alone time... intruding on their 'moment'... this 'force' caused Neji to shift his attitude before her very eyes, and to take on a look of impatient expectancy. It was a cold, bitter look... a look that harshly reminded Tenten of the "old days", before the chuunin exams. Not wanting to believe what she was receiving, or receive what she knew she just saw, the empty words began to pour out as an introduction to their long-awaited dialogue.

"I hope you don't mind the cold in here too much... or the lack of room... or the smell!" Tenten said with a pitiful snicker.

"The note that you tossed at me this afternoon said that you HAD to talk to me in private. I'm here, Tenten. So talk."

He was especially impatient with her because he knew exactly where this talk was going. He didn't want to re-live those painful steps of establishing the 3-year agreement again, and she was about to force him to do it anyway... he was also impatient because he knew that looking into those illuminated brown eyes for too long might as well have been the same thing as consuming alcohol... he would soon be stumbling about in this room like the bums outside in the marketplace streets... he would soon be intoxicated with desire.

Tenten dropped her eyes for a moment and lifted them up once more to stare into his grimace eyes and face his harsh words with another broken smile.

"... It's so good to see you, again..." She spoke, more referring to the Neji who held pain and longing in his eyes then the sour-looking one who stood before her.

"... We've seen each other every afternoon for years now."

"You know what I mean..." Tenten commented with dry suggestiveness... had her comment just a little more 'water', it would have passed off for being sensual.

And, of course, Neji knew exactly what she meant. The hell that was called 'training' this past month could in no way, shape, or form count as them "seeing each other" at all. The Hyuuga sighed so lowly that Tenten didn't hear it..

"It's good to see you too..."

Slight reparations to Tenten's broken smile were made right then and there, her lips curving upward a bit further. Damn... There went that annoying tendency to 'care' again. It was as a nagging voice that whispered in the pit of his heart... and right now, it was a hindrance to his intentions.

Tenten breathed deeply for her next words.

"... I missed you a lot."

"Tenten... I know this isn't easy... but you are dancing around what you really have to tell me..."

Concern proceeded the Hyuuga's voice, but his iron-clad desire to end this quickly came right after it. Tenten's mouth was open, but the words were painfully lodged in her throat.

"Tenten..."

Though she was still smiling, she looked like she was about to cry.

"...Why did you ask me to meet you tonight?"

The kunoinchi somehow envisioned a long and romantic dialogue between the two of them before it came to this... but Neji clearly hadn't envisioned the same thing. Slowly, the look of impending tears outweighed the smile.

"I-... I don't think I can do this any longer, Neji."

With that, she turned away from her love like she was turning away from strength and fell into the arms of weakness, bringing her knees to her chin by placing both feet on the top of the barrel that she was perched on. She didn't want Neji to see her face.

Laying 'care' aside, Neji stared at his comrade with not so much as a thread of pity, which is what Neji suspected she was fishing for. He wasn't buying this at all.

"Not only do I know you can do this... but I think** you **know you can do this too."

Tenten lifted her head from her knees. As far as Neji was concerned, the redness of her eyes failed to make her look any more helpless then it did to make her look any less beautiful. Even with the glassy eyes he wasn't sold.

"... Neji, its so hard!"

"There isn't much in life worth doing that isn't hard."

"But... But I'm TRYING so hard!"

"The only thing you are 'trying hard' to do right now is to convince me that you have reached your limit!" Neji spoke like thunder. "Well, I have seen your limit, Tenten... and it does not end here. You're stronger then this."

Damn him... He wouldn't even allow her to quit. This was just like him. Their entire relationship as official boyfriend and girlfriend could be defined as him placing her in a choke hold and allowing just enough oxygen to enter in so that she could live to feel the pain. If he was going to hurt her, why couldn't he just let her die? Why didn't he just leave her heart broken the first time she asked him for a walk? Why did he have to come running down that province area, calling out to her? Why did he have to raise her up and drop her again? What was the point?... Why couldn't he just let her quit... Why couldn't he just let her be weak... Damn him... Damn her for ever falling for him.

Tenten's broken smile morphed into a brazen stare. She allowed both of her legs to drop back down so they dangled off of the barrel. There were no tears... Tenten wondered if she would ever cry again after what she had been through. She directed her eyes into Neji's lavenders... if he wanted to see strength, she would not deny him.

"Okay then... let me rephrase it for you... I don't WANT to do this any longer."

Unlike the times before, this wasn't just a 'hint' of an attitude... This attitude was full-blown. Some hurt from Tenten's poignant expression showed up on the genius's stern face, but he remained silent.

"Yes... I said it... I don't want to wait for you a day longer, Neji Hyuuga." Though the words themselves could be counted as romantic, the way she said those words were anything but romantic. "And... with every passing day... I'm beginning to realize more and more that not only should I not have to wait... but that I do not have to wait."

Neji, for the first time ever on account of Tenten, looked genuinely scared. This sounded an awful lot like a break-up... which even the very thought was enough to do severe damage to the heart of the nervous Hyuuga.

"So... please refresh my memory." Her voice was gradually making the transition from witty anger to confused sadness. "Why am I waiting 3 years to kiss you when I want to kiss you now?"

Silence overtook the night.

"Why do we, who have already sacrificed so much of our time and our energy to becoming stronger, must sacrifice even more?"

"... Because we have so much more to sacrifice." Neji spoke calmly, trying to bring Tenten back to herself through explanation. He also spoke calmly from the relief that it didn't seem she was going to leave him. "Because we are still young... Because we can still become so much stronger."

"But can't we have both? Strength and love? Why do we have to choose?"

"Because strength and love are both two heavy to be held at the same time... if we attempt it, both will fall out of our hands."

"But other people-"

"We have aspirations that go higher then other people... So we have to give up more then other people. You know this, Tenten."

"But... its so damn unfair!"

"Life isn't-"

"Damn you, Neji! Do you have to have an answer for everything!?!?" Tenten exclaimed in frustration, yelling louder at the Hyuuga then she ever dreamed she would actually do.

Neji was a little taken... he knew that this meeting was going to be hard on both of them, but he was hardly prepared for the way things were going at the moment. He closed his eyes and spoke in a way he would consider "harsh, but truthful".

"If you do not want answers then maybe you should stop asking questions... I'm trying to help you, Tenten... I would do everything in my power to make this easier for you, but it doesn't seem like you want it to be easier... It doesn't look like you want real help. You want someone to tell you its alright to be wrong, which I will not do."

Tenten turned her eyes from the Hyuuga.

"...Maybe what would help me is to hear **your **answers for a change instead of hearing **his** answers repeated to me... Maybe I need to speak to a man, and not a parrot."

Neji unfolded his arms and pushed himself off of the wall. He narrowed his eyes. It appeared she wasn't going to be satisfied unless they were both screaming at each other in an argument... If that is what she wanted, he wouldn't deny her.

"What was that?" He heard every word. "Do not speak out of the side of your mouth, Tenten. You obviously have something on your mind, so I suggest you speak plainly if you want to be heard!"

"Oh? You want me to make it plain!?!?" Tenten allowed her voice to boom, magnified by her bottled-up anger and the momentum of Neji's provocation. "You let your uncle decide the future of our relationship for us! Was THAT plain enough for you?!?"

"Oh really?" Neji responded with an air of condescension and ridicule. "Is that what happened?"

"That's exactly what happened!"

"So it was all his fault then, right? He is the villain in our story, right?!?" Neji continued to mock the girl's comments in rage-fueled amusement. "You speak foolishly and presumptuously... and you have no idea what you're talking about."

"Well, should I have an idea?!? I mean, its not like **I **was there when he decided that we should wait! Its not like I was even told about the decision until the last minute! In fact, considering how much of the decision-making I was kept out of, I would say I have a pretty DAMN good idea of what I'm talking about! But please, enlighten me Neji. Exactly what part am I getting wrong?"

"Did you even listen to me? I already told what part you got wrong on that very day!!"

"Well, tell me again!"

"**I **was the one who made the decision!"

Tenten's fury and her momentum was cut at that moment... but Neji's was not.

"Hm. So NOW you are quiet? Well, just to make sure there isn't a doubt in your mind,** I **was the one who decided to get his approval, **I **was the one who listened to his suggestions, **I **was the one who agreed to his proposition, so **I** was the one who decided we should wait 3 years!"

"... Wrong" Tenten said simply and with confidence. "You didn't decide this for us..."

"Hmph... and **you** would know what **I **decided?" Neji mocked once more in a lowered voice, trying to allow the fierce presence of the atmosphere to die out.

"That's right. I know what you decided... I know what we decided." The flames in her brown eyes were abated and lit afresh by her passion. "The night just before you allowed your uncle to change your decision... we chose each other."

Neji breathed out through his nose and released the hold he had on his narrow eyes... He covered his chest with crossed arms again when he realized his armor was soon to be compromised. He rolled his eyes when he saw that she was trying to entrap him with hers. Tenten snickered at his immature defenses.

"It was like we were in another world... like a completely new life for us was about to begin... I remember the exact moment you chose me... do know which moment I'm talking about?"

Neji shot a look at her just so he could prove to himself; her, and to the overwhelming pressure that was on his heart; that he could do so without falling in love again. Tenten paid his look no mind, and that pressure on his heart didn't waver. He turned away from her again in defeat. As he turned away, Tenten allowed her legs to swing while smiling crookedly at the ground.

"I think you do! It was when you were right in front of my house... When I was ready to go back into the real world that was waiting for me inside my room... when you looked at my hands... THAT'S when you chose me."

The atmosphere about the fish storage room became lighter atop the wings of her memories. The Hyuuga became all the more angry with the dead-on accuracy of her comments and the trenchant impact that it had on him. It was useless to try to resist her. Nothing could throw off his love's aim if she kept her eyes on the target...the problem was she was aiming for the wrong thing...He realized that the reason she found the agreement so hard to keep up with was because her eyes were still focused on the 'now'. He had to keep her eyes off the 'now'...

Tenten's crooked smile fell into a sour frown.

"I just wish I knew what he said to you that made none of what we experienced that day matter..."

Luckily, she was still very hot-headed and frustrated with him... it would be easier for Neji to keep her eyes clouded, re-focus her aim on the 'future' instead of the 'now', and eventually watch her hit the desired target for him... Neji turned toward her to respond.

"He told me the truth..."

"And what is his version of the truth?!? That if you kiss a girl you won't be able to throw a shuriken anymore?"

Neji half-smirked at Tenten's surprising humor.

"Consider the fact that our progress has been phenomenal in the last month... Consider how quickly you were able to pass this note to me without anyone noticing it... obviously my uncle's methods are not as comical as you would have me believe."

Tenten stared wide-eyed at the boy in disbelief. He had lost his mind. She opened her arms out to their surroundings to remind Neji that they were hiding inside a fish room in order to talk to each other.

"But look at what it has done to us!!! Can't you see how much we have suffered?!?!"

"That's what sacrifice is!!!"

"...I can't believe how stubborn you are..." Tenten said quietly while shaking her head. "You KNOW how ridiculous this all is, and you're just going to stand there and act like its 'supposed' to be this way?... I don't understand... I don't understand how he could make you act like this."

"I NEVER asked you to understand!" Neji bellowed with curved eyebrows, demanding the respect that Tenten had forbore to give him since the argument began. " Believe me, you wouldn't understand my relationship with my uncle even if I felt inclined to explain it to you! This is why I never asked you to understand it... all I asked you to do was accept it."

Tenten held her peace.

"But you know what **I** don't understand, Tenten?"

"What?!?"

"I don't understand how you can go on and on about how much you love me and want to be with me, and yet you can't. even. **wait**." Neji shot out in boldness. "If you felt even half of what you love to 'say' you feel for me, wouldn't you be able endure a little hardship for it?!?"

"We went over this! It's not that I 'can not'. It's that I 'should not' !!"

"Well, would you not be able to do what you should not have to do?"

"ARRRGH! Will you stop trying to switch this around on me!" Tenten shouted, banging a fist against the barrel she sat on. "You keep trying to take my focus off how... stupid this all is!"

"So now its 'stupid'..."

"It ALWAYS was stupid!"

"Hmph. Such a refined vocabulary you possess..."

"Well SORRY for not reading a dictionary before I came here, but there's only so many ways I can call something stupid!"

"If it was so stupid, then why did you agree to it?"

"BECAUSE I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU!"

The frost in the air within the room made the breath that carried those heavy words visible and white like a spirit ascending to heaven.

"And don't you DARE turn away from me."

Neji heard her cool and anger-swelled voice at the side of his face as he sucked his teeth and attempted to divert his eyes from her 'love talk' once more... He felt that callous hand take hold of his cheek and violently yank his face in her direction. It wasn't much ground to cover in the room, so Neji wasn't surprised she managed to get so close to him so quickly... he was more surprised that she was able to stare so blankly at him. He was surprised because he never saw the face she was now wearing. There was the cheesy face, the fighting face, the newly-added seductive face... but what was this? Her eyes looked weathered and red, like they belonged to a much older women. Her lips weren't quite frowning... they seemed suspended between a smile and frown in a perfect straight line. The force that he felt from her gaze was powerful and weak at the same time... as though the lines of "opposites" had been blurred. From the intent Tenten was breathing out so harshly, it was not clear to Neji if she was about to break down into his arms or if she was about to 'break him down' with a right hook to his jaw... it was like she was begging to be comforted, but would soon chop off any caressing hand that reached out for her. She continued to inhale and exhale shallowly in the Hyuuga's face for a moment. She would make sure he wouldn't soon forget this look she had on her face... Though he couldn't say that the look was a 'turn-on', Neji was somehow deeply energized by it. It made him want her severely... Neji, left cheek sloshed into his face by Tenten's lingering grasp, would soon come to know that face quite well.

"You are going to look me in the eyes until I am done saying everything that I have to say to you because I don't want you to EVER doubt that I am in love with you again..."

Tenten released her hold on Neji's face just as quickly and violently as she applied it. She would have no doubt scratched him if her nails were fully grown.

"... If I have to face the fact that I'm in love with you, Neji, you are going to face it too..." Neji was a little confused by her words, but he let her talk on. "In the beginning of all this, I thought it was just a crush. I liked you since the first day I saw you... I thought you were just some guy I thought was really cute and perfect in every way. But you're not... it's more then that. I have found myself wishing it wasn't, but it is..."

She narrowed her eyes into his aloof face, slowly shaking her head, to answer the question she was about to pose to Neji herself.

"...Do you think I want this, Neji?"

Drunken laughter could be heard behind the white door in place of the absolute silence that would have been the response to her question.

"Do you think I want to be in love with you? Do you think I like obsessing over you? Do you!?... I mean, do you have any idea how many times of the day you pop into my head and how many times I just told myself "get a grip, he's just a guy"?"

She let out a twisted and bitter laugh as she turned away and began pacing back and forth.

"I mean, look at me! I have never felt this weak, tired, broken and vulnerable in my life, but you know what? At this very moment... I'm actually happy!...and I know the only reason I am happy is because I'm with y-you."

The last word of the sentence almost broke under its frailty. Tenten put her hand over her face and let out a few sobs, her breathing becoming more shallow. Neji immediately went over to comfort her, but she soon took a deep breath and removed the hand from her face so she could continue talking through her parched throat. Neji halted his advance, and stood a few feet from her pacing space.

"... I get depressed when I think about what happened... but then I encourage myself when I think about what it will be like in 3 years... and then I get depressed all over again because I'm angry that I can't be with you now! And to make matters worse, I have to see you EVERYDAY! I can't tell anyone, not even my mom, how I feel because no one would understand... and you, the one person who should understand, doesn't even really want to hear what I have to say."

The drunken laughter outside the door ceased, and the quiet somehow made Neji's sudden feeling of guilt all the more bitter to his heart. Tenten stopped her pacing and stood a few feet away from him.

"Neji... My life has been like a terrible dream I keep having over and over again since I made that decision..I never knew a month could feel so long... but I made that decision because I love you... I stuck with that decision without a word of complaint for this long because I love you..."

Neji remained quiet until he was sure she was done speaking.

"... Tenten... all I can do is repeat myself... I know you really don't want to hear this, and I know its easier said then done... but you have to endure longer."

"Hah! I don't believe this..." Tenten immediately laughed and put her tired head into her hand before Neji was quite done with the statement. She rubbed her thumb and middle finger into her temple to appease her frustration while Neji stared at her.

"What is so funny?" he asked quietly.

"The thing that I warned you about that day is coming true, and you can't even see it! Don't you remember what I told you would happen if training and getting stronger took priority above everything else?"

She took her hands off of her face, and stared at him... hoping desperately that he at least remembered.

Neji closed his eyes... such a foolish question. He would never forget those words as long as he lived.

"If all you do is train... if all you do is focus on the mission at hand... if nothing else matters to you in life, then you will become "unfamiliar" with the very things you seek to protect as a ninja."

Neji opened his eyes and revealed a half-smirk to the tanned kunoichi, knowing that she was probably hoping he forgot so she could continue to bicker with him.

"So you DO remember." Tenten's voice remained hostile and hurt, despite Neji's memory. "...Then how did you still let it happen?"

Neji's entire face lost the muscle tension it takes to maintain a rock-hard gaze. Her question pierced through his folded arms like they weren't even there. His chest was all but sliced in twain, and his heart bore fresh wounds from the cut. Tenten moved so she was standing only a few inches from Neji. She attempted to glare into his eyes... but found that she couldn't keep eye contact. Her eyes found their resting place around his legs. She spoke as though she was ashamed the words were coming out of her mouth.

"... I have become 'unfamiliar' to you."

A smile came to her face, as she was strangely tickled by the horror of this situation. She felt something slither in her chest... as though her own heart was unwilling to accept the words that came from her mouth.

"I always thought that you were suffering just as much as I was... I used that thought to comfort myself... As long as I knew I wasn't going through this alone, I could hold on..."

"...Tenten..." Neji spoke.

"But now I can see I was just hoping against hope. You have become numb to me, Neji... you have become numb to your feelings for me... You can't even see what this is doing to me, can you? Its like I've been talking to a brick wall since we've got here..."

Neji uttered not a word. Having no use for them to cover his chest any longer, Neji unfolded his arms and let them drop to his sides gradually. Tenten, who clearly had become far less timid and predictable within the past month, slipped her arms between the space in his arms. She raised her arms within the space between the sides of his chest and his arms so that they were a few inches below his armpits. She wrapped her arms around him in an embrace. She slowly rested her head against his chest, ruffling her bangs against the tough material of his shirt... He didn't complete the embrace. Neji didn't move an inch... it was the stillest he ever stood in his life. He simply closed his eye and breathed deeply, exercising his improvement in self-control. Tenten didn't seem hurt or shocked at all at her sweetheart's sudden stiffness. She was satisfied enough to be holding him, her bright smile being cleansed of its corruption. She turned her face so that she rested her right ear against his heart. She needed to confirm that it was still beating... She began to speak close to it his chest in hopes that her words would get through to that heart without going through his thick head.

"... You know what really hurts? Even if I did kiss you right now... I know you wouldn't feel it..."

Neji was now clenching his fists within her grasp, though she didn't notice. His heart was hot with unsaid words, but he knew giving into her sentimental talk was just as deadly as giving in to this hug.

"But don't worry..." The Hyuuga could hear the cynical attitude finding its place within her calmed voice once more. "... I can throw a kunai faster then last month... so I guess you got what you wanted."

Suddenly... surprisingly... Neji's lips bent upward in a smirk as his love worked tirelessly to bend the last straw. In fact... yes. She had bent it enough with her concluding statements. It would probably only make things more difficult, but it was time for Neji to **really **say what he had to say. Though he remained still like a prey trying to hide from a predator who could only detect movement, his strength proceeded his next words...

"Fool..."

Tenten quickly lifted her head to Neji, not breaking the embrace. His eyes remained closed, but seemed to shake beneath his eyelids.

"You couldn't be anymore wrong."

Neji suddenly opened his eyes to reveal the pain that Tenten saw initially... only now his eyebrows were curved in anger. Tenten tightened the embrace without thinking about it. Neji looked pretty cute when he was mad... and yet the stare commanded some healthy fear from her, as though the wrath of heaven would fall on her if she interrupted.

"You say that I have become 'numb', but the truth is it is the exact opposite... NEVER have I felt things so strongly since I made that decision... sadness, anger, impatience, regret... I cycle through these feelings on a daily basis without end... and believe me... I wish I was numb to any of them."

A blank and dead stare was his girlfriend's answer, as though she got lost somewhere behind his eyes.

"I don't take any breaks from 'feeling' something anymore. I walk around everyday with a heaviness in my heart that I never even knew existed... I feel as though I lost my certainty that I can even make it through the day without breaking down in tears... Tenten... I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that with every step I take you alone are on my mind... my meditation has become thoughts of 'what is she doing?', and 'is she thinking about me?'. I have become weak and sentimental... I feel powerless... it's disgusting... but all of this is okay... because I lost control of myself so I could have **you**."

Neji's deep voice filled to the brim with a bitter stream of truth, though the Hyuuga made it his business to keep it from overflowing and causing his voice to crack. Tenten's eyes began to swell with tears.

"Now tell me... do you think that what I just told you is going to make this any easier on us? Do you think wallowing in weakness and self-pity is somehow going to help? Impossible... weakness and weakness leaves only weakness."

"I-I know that, its ju-"

"Or does it make you feel good to know that you have so much power over me?!?!"

Honestly the kunoichi wasn't sure how to answer that. She would be lying if she said she wasn't happy that she had such an effect on a boy who once barely realized she was alive. Still, it didn't feel any more truthful to claim that she got pleasure out of Neji's pain. She left the question unanswered in embarrassment. Neji began speaking again.

"My point is that self-pity is deceitful. It appears to help us through our problems, but it only provides a momentary covering for our own weakness... what you thought was 'numbness' was me fighting against self-pity. Maybe you take weakness lying down, but I will not."

Though he tried to be stern with her, Neji sighed as Tenten plopped her head against his chest once more, rubbing some tears into his shirt. She was still upset, but the atmosphere filled with hard-feelings and violent anger had vacated. The entire fish storage room felt much 'clearer', as did Tenten's soul.

"... I'm not as strong as you." Tenten spoke, resting against his chest.

"Yes, you are." Neji still refused to complete the embrace.

"No, I'm not... I still want you to wrap your arms around me... I want you to hold me... I still want you to have me, Neji."

And Neji felt it once more... that bittersweet feeling shooting all over his body... he felt 'lust' banging on the door, demanding to be let in... or, more accurately, to be let out. His heavy shorts once again kept the desire down as his body began to respond to the streams of dangerous pleasure coursing though his veins. In a moment of weakness the 'pleasure flow' pumped into his brains, and caused him to utter something he shouldn't have.

"... I want to, Tenten... I want to have you more then you realize."

"...Then what is stopping you?"

Tenten blurted out suggestively, her own desire rising within her like yeast. Soon, her body was swollen with it. She ran her cold hands up and down his back slowly, wondering how going through a very heated argument with her Hyuuga had left her so... 'excited'. Like before, there was a part of her that was ashamed of her behavior and really wanted to get a handle of the self-control that Neji mastered... and like before, the 'enchantress' in her just didn't care. Unlike before... this time... though she wouldn't admit it, she desperately wanted the 'enchantress' to win.

Though the two couldn't tell from the windowless storage room, the sun was finally beginning to sink down into the night. It was a shame... It was getting late, so he had to miss the action after all... It was shaping up to be some show... He took note of the unseen powers in the shadows of life... the sun recognized what they were setting up before he departed... The sun could hear them laughing already.

-----------------

a/n- ... pretty long, eh? I'm working on the conclusion of their little meeting right now. Expect an update soon! And I would REALLY appreciate some feedback on this chappie in particular.


	22. Chapter 22

Tenten kept her head cushioned into his impressively tight chest as she waited impatiently for the answer to her question. She slowly closed her eyes, her frustrated and tired mind set adrift on a sea of her passion, pure warmth marinating her love-starved body. The kunoichi was drawing a lot of pleasure from just existing with this fire in her, but she knew something had to happen. This passion... no, this passion was too strong and unstable to be left alone. She knew it had to be put out, and she just KNEW that the only one who could put it out was right before her. It was unnatural and impossible to try to quench so great a fire with any other method. Hiashi was wrong to try to douse the flames by 'waiting it out'. No... this warmth would not wait. It wasn't his fire... it wasn't tormenting him with this unbearable feeling, so he had no right to decide how it should be dealt with. Tenten needed an answer right now. She needed Neji to answer... she needed Neji to move his lips for her right now... yes... she needed him to move his lips... but actual words were unnecessary... In fact, Tenten was quite sure she was through with words... talking was an overrated use of lips anyway.

Still, she had to control herself! As horrible as this fire was to her body, she maintained enough soundness of mind to hold up a standard. The current standard was that she would not make a move on him if he didn't first agree to it. She didn't want to steal a kiss... she wanted Neji to give it to her freely. Tenten desired greatly that they** both** decide to have each other.

One thing was certain... she sure as hell wasn't cold anymore... She wondered if the cold in the room was getting to Neji though.

Neji was not cold. The room was encased and overrun by the frosty air that accompanies tightly-packed ice. The chilled puddles of water that encircled the barrels of fish were but a few degrees shy of becoming ice themselves. The cold in the room even made its presence known visibly as the dim light bulb revealed the mist that billowed around his feet... and yet perspiration was beginning to wet the Hyuuga's back as a result of how 'not cold' he was.

She ran her hands over her sweetheart's back, spreading the perspiration around beneath his shirt, smearing it into his hot skin. In Neji's eyes, it looked as though his love was sleeping against his chest... dreaming of times that have yet to come. She began to slowly sway both of their bodies side-to-side to some unheard rhythm. Much like himself, not even 1/3 of what she was really feeling showed up on the surface in this case. He knew his eyes were telling lies. Tenten was burning... he could feel it. The warmth that he felt from his love's body pressed against his own didn't begin to compare to the fire that he perceived all around her. As she lay against him in her dreamy daze, a single tear from the earlier argument rolling down her smiling face, Neji felt that subtle and powerful fire try to 'ease' its way into him... he heard the fire whisper to him to just let go... to just give in to that flow of pleasure... to indulge himself in love... to hold her. For a second, the hand that didn't grasp the forehead protector thought to grasp her... but he caught himself. Apart from Tenten swaying his body dreamily, The Hyuuga still refused to move an inch. He also resolved to keep his eyes closed as well... as looking at his comrade with this burning pleasure within him was a disaster waiting to happen.

"mmm... Neji..."

Tenten cooed lazily as though she had awaken from slumber. She lowered her embrace from around his chest down to his waist, her forearms bending around his sides. She applied a little more force to her next enticing words.

"Answer me..."

It was just as he thought before. Nothing was going to throw off Tenten's aim if her eyes were kept on the target. She knew damn well that Neji had just got through giving her several things that were 'stopping him' from having her... But that was 'before'. Her eyes were still focused on the 'now', and right NOW, at this very moment, all the reasons given didn't matter to Neji anymore... and she knew it. The drive and dedication to his and his uncle's ideals were again diluted by her presence. He could lie and say that there actually was something stopping him from taking her right now, but there wasn't. If he lied, she would detect it... she would pick up the weakness and lack of conviction in his words, and she would continue to press him with seduction until he caved in... she had him cornered... he HAD to break her focus quick. The genius of Konoha strengthened himself, and spoke.

"I've had enough of this... Let go of me." He decided it was best to just ignore the question outright, force her to let go of him, and get out of the room as soon as possible.

"...No..."

Tenten shook her head against his chest and answered with the stubbornness of a 3 year old. A frown came to her face. She didn't want to hear that answer at all... Neji didn't want to hear her answer either. He opened his eyes, and stared down at one of her brown hair buns that loomed just above his mouth.

"Tenten... I wasn't asking." Neji threatened. "Let go of me."

"I don't want to..." Tenten's voice broke under her simple, yet emotion-filled answer.

"I am only going to say this one more time..."

"No! If I let you go, things are going to be the same when we leave!" Tenten blurted out in an honesty that made her ashamed of herself. "I-I don't want things to be the same."

He allowed some of his 'care' to shine in his voice.

"... You know that acting like a child won't change anything."

"Why can't you just hold me?!"

"It won't make a difference!"

"It would make a difference to me!" Tenten exclaimed with the strength she claimed she lacked. She scrunched up her eyes as she hollered, but kept them shut. "We can't be strong all the time, Neji... I can't be strong all the time. So, before you leave me again... just hold me."

'Care' immediately sprung up, and sent his arms upward to wrap around her incredible body... But he caught himself just barely. Neji realized that 'care' was only going to aid in fanning the already huge flames that were surrounding them. His arms remained looming over her, floating inches away from her pink vest. His mind and body were racked with contradicting feelings, and his arms had been given a hasty order in the midst of the inward confusion. They would pounce on her upon Neji's final command.

"Tenten..."

"Please... just hold me..." she whispered in response to her Hyuuga's alluring call.

The ideals... the aspirations... the future goals... the agreement, already diluted by reason of taking in his lover's beauty for too long was now being further muddled and meddled with by the mixed messages trafficking in his being. Soon, the messages were traveling everywhere, causing his body parts to do things they ought not do. It made his eyes gush with animalistic thoughts and savage intent when they took in her elegant and honey-brown neck. Her sensuous request told his desire to increase, giving his shorts that much more of a chore to keep 'him' down. His hips shot back a bit to keep Tenten from feeling it. Though the kunoichi didn't know why he did that, she allowed it to be done since she still had her arms around him...

Amidst the harrowing messages flying to and fro Neji's brain, one came in loud and clear... Hugging couldn't be counted as something that broke the agreement at all! Even though he was no big supporter of the contact, hugs were done by people who weren't dating all the time. Hiashi shouldn't... no, he wouldn't have a problem with it. A hug was innocent... though he acknowledged his own body and Tenten had other intentions after the hug, he also acknowledged the possible deeper need for it. He felt blazing passion around his girlfriend, but he also perceived a genuine longing for honest comfort in her. She wanted to have him, but there was a part of her that wanted some closure from this hug... honestly, inside of him there was a sentimental Neji who wanted to be held by her for comforting reasons as well... as incredibly stupid as this was, the Hyuuga felt that he might be able to complete this embrace with the intentions of healing their wounded hearts without giving their carnal natures too much to feed off. He felt that she was much stronger then what she was portraying, and that she could in fact do without the embrace... but still...

He sighed with great inward exhaustion and beheld some unseen wall shatter as he gave his arms the final command to embrace his kunoichi with potent affection. Tenten's heart leapt beneath her chest, feeling the strength and finding that iron security slide beneath her armpits and wrap around her slender form. She actually gasped from the contact.

Neji found that much of the desire he felt overtaking him was washed away by a sudden surge of warmth in his chest. He found that much of the cluttered messages had died down. Voices were still whispering their wicked suggestions to him, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. This actually felt... good... But not 'dangerous' good. The Hyuuga found his hands linking somewhere about the small of Tenten's back, allowing his forehead protector to dangle by the fabric below her waist.

Tenten found herself now tightening the embrace even further, burying her head deep into his chest to the point of it hurting him.

"T-thank you, Neji... Thank you!"

Tenten wept loudly against him, her upper torso shaking and being inflated with harsh breathing. It seemed that her heart was also touched by the embrace without tampering with her sex drive. Neji, with a clear head, closed his eyes and smiled. He raised one of his arms, and cradled the back of her head.

"...Its alright now."

" Neji..."

Her sudden sobs didn't lose their power over her despite Neji's comforting words, as she began sniffing back her tears of repaired joy. They had each other again... she wasn't alone anymore! She was so happy that it actually broke her heart. She was overcome by too many sensations to feel ashamed of herself like other times.

Tenten eventually gained control of herself with one final sniff and began to sway his body with hers to the unheard rhythm once more. She caused her right hand to move up his back. Neji felt desire rising slightly, but it was nothing he couldn't ignore.

"Please don't leave me again..." Tenten blurted out with a broken voice.

"... I never left you to begin with." Neji spoke back to her.

"... Yes, you left." She spoke softly and simply once more, displaying a childishness on an emotional level that Neji never saw in her before tonight.

"No, I didn't..." Neji replied in a hushed tone of his own, his sentimental side communing with her childish side.

"Yes you did... I would stare right at you when we trained... but I felt so alone." She whispered, still dancing slowly with her sweetheart to the rhythm of silence. "You left me, Neji..."

"...Well... I'm here now." Neji gave in and decided to re-assure her, embracing her tighter. "So you don't have to feel that way anymore..."

Tenten began to move her face up and down her Hyuuga's neck, the tip of her nose dipping into his cream-white skin... massaging it... stimulating it. She led her face to the right side of Neji's face, and proceeded to caress it against his warm flesh once more. Her right hand found itself entangled in the long strands of his shimmering black hairs, her finger wrapping around his soft dark tendrils. Neji breathed deeply when he felt his locks being tampered with. Desire was definitely rising... but, he could deal with it. No need to break the embrace.

"This feels so. damn. good." Tenten spoke, the 'child' in her voice leaving gradually. "I wish we could just be here forever... I don't want to leave this moment."

PERFECT. With that profession, Neji could bring this whole meeting to a close with both of them unscathed. They both kept their eyes closed, and Neji began to move his hands over her syrup brown hair, wishing desperately that they weren't tamed by hair pins.

"... But... we have to leave this moment, Tenten... Its starting to get late. My uncle trusts me, but he may start to get suspicious..." Neji reminded her. "Just remember this night... remember this moment when you start feeling lonely again. No matter what it feels like, I haven't left you... and I never will."

Tenten stopped swaying their bodies. She pushed her face away from its resting place against his cheek, and opened her eyes. Neji instinctively opened his eyes when he noticed the dance had ended. He beheld his beautiful comrade staring into him with hopeful eyes. He beheld her smile in reaction to him stroking the side of her face, his hand clearing the left bang from her eye. After the warm smile, she tucked both her lower and bottom lips into her mouth for a second... Neji was beginning to realize what her eyes were hoping for. She leaned in close to his face as her eye lids began to curtain a large portion of her brown eyes. As she moved closer her firm breasts pressed deeply into his chest, pushing past his defense, shooting hot lust directly into the Hyuuga. His desire suddenly peaked far beyond the danger zone. He knew he should have stopped caressing her face at that very moment. He knew he should have taken his arm from around her body. He knew he shouldn't have allowed her waist to move into his own, sandwiching his 'desire', but he did... Tenten stopped when the space between her lips and his was no wider then her pinky. Her head arched slightly to the side like before. Her lips were pressed together, but her mouth was partially open. She noticed he wasn't moving away, but he wasn't moving closer... This wouldn't do at all.

"... Kiss me..." She whispered simply, and they both felt as though she had compromised an invisible wall with those words.

She wouldn't force him to give her what she had been craving for so long, but Tenten figured she'd 'help' him decide by bringing her hand from his hair to his face. Neji's hand remained on her face as well, but for obvious reasons his part of the caressing game came to an end.

"...I'm not going kiss you."

Their breath stroked each other's lips tenderly as they spoke.

"Neji... please kiss me."

"No..." So weak was his resolve that the Hyuuga didn't believe the answer himself.

"I know you want this... You don't have to fight it..."

The 'enchantress' never had this much control. She delighted herself in her sly incantations, knowing it was only a matter of times before her love fell in defeat to the unseen powers smothering the cold air.

"It's a mistake, Tenten..." Neji whispered and yet found his head moving closer to her lips.

"I swear..." Tenten felt Neji's lips graze her own...

"One kiss... and I'll be satisfied."

She lied softly into his mouth.

The kunoichi moaned... causing her pleasure to be heard deep inside of Neji's mouth. Their lips were pressed together, united... with neither of them intending to break this union until they felt uncomfortable breathing in each other's oxygen. The invisible wall was shattered into tiny pieces of pieces, their desire crashing against it like a hammer.

Tenten moaned... actually, whimpered sharply when Neji pulled her body harshly into his own, finally feeling that desire through his shorts. He kept both hands placed firmly on her hips, and she wrapped both of her arms around his neck and rested them on his shoulders. The warriors remained locked in the initial kiss, breaking up slightly only so one of their lips could overlap the others sloppily. Eventually, Tenten's tongue began to leave its place within her mouth and shyly tickled Neji's lips. His mouth was partially open as well, but not wide enough for what his love had in mind.

Neji, on pure instinct, gave Tenten the passage she was begging for. His eyes opened for a moment from the weird feeling of her tongue sliding about his mouth, but he soon closed them when the feeling made the transition from being awkward to being tasty. Another muffled moan came from the kunoichi as he mashed his own tongue against hers. Considering that this was both their first kiss they seemed to be flying by the basics rather quickly. Perhaps they were naturals at 'making out' just like their peers counted them naturals at being shinobi.

The flames had engulfed his mind for a second, and that seemed to be all it took. The insatiable fire that raged on in his body consumed all things... including the feeling of brutal shame that should have come crashing down on him for disobeying his uncle's will... He was hers...

The Wui girl, getting bored with the 16-second kiss, decided she wanted to do something else and rudely pulled her tongue out of the Hyuuga's mouth. This caused Neji, who was breathing heavily from the exhilaration of it all, to fling open his eyes in anger. She smiled sadistically through her own heavy breathing, seeing that ending the french kiss so suddenly had frustrated him. Of course, she thought he was angry because he was enjoying her tongue... That wasn't quite the case. He was angry because she had stopped the 'pleasure flow'. If the pleasure flow halted within him for too long, the 'mental flow' would kick in. He would start realizing he made a terrible mistake... he would realize he had intentions on continuing to make this terrible mistake. And that was only the beginning of what he would go through when reality fully caught up with him... no. He wasn't ready to face it. Not now. Without a word or a warning he rocketed into his lover's face to claim her lips again. The sudden attack sent his comrade stumbling backward about 2 steps before regaining proper footing, almost slipping beneath a puddle. Tenten managed the widest possible smile one could manage in the midst of a kiss. She WAS bored with kissing, but that wild look in his eyes and that barbaric force suddenly made it exciting again... The way he just took control... such power... she always wondered if Neji would be the type to just 'take it' without asking.

As they continued to kiss, they began to run their hands down each other's body in greedy haste, forcing the flow of pleasure to spread out evenly from their necks to their legs. When Neji guided his right hand from her hips to her stomach, he noticed the annoying clanking of metal against the cold concrete floor... he didn't know what that awful noise was, but it swiftly cut the pleasure flow. He yanked his lips from Tenten, created some distance by forcing her to loosen her hold around his neck and darted his eyes to the ground.

His eyes opened widely, as though he had come back to himself, when he saw his black forehead protector lying between him and his girlfriend, the fabric dampened by a tiny puddle beneath their feet.

The unimaginable guilt, though delayed, had finally come crashing down. As though her teammate's life had been ripped from him by an edged weapon to the back, Neji suddenly dropped his hands from Tenten's body.

"What's wrong?!??!" Tenten demanded in a low and exhausted tone, her excited eyes showcasing what her body hungered for.

Neji didn't answer. His eyes never left the forehead protector. They stayed on it until they grew stagnant with condemnation. He had failed... he had given in to his more base instincts, and in turn given Tenten a horrible example to follow. She wanted a kiss, but what she **needed **was someone to tell her to pull it together and be strong... how could he do that now that he had fallen under the same weakness? And his heart still couldn't take what would happen when he told his uncle of this. He already knew it was pointless to keep it from him. Hiashi would be able to see the corruption in his lavenders. O, how disappointed he would be in him! Neji slowly closed his eyes, losing himself in the blackness that his eyelids provided for him. He couldn't look at the forehead protector any longer.

Tenten was purely confused. She could see that her love was in pain, but she didn't understand why... she took a look at the forehead protector, and then looked at him again. She spoke slowly...

"I know your sensitive about your seal... I'm so sorry about taking it from you earlier. Now the fabric is wet and you can't even put it back on until it dries."

Tenten nonchalantly took it out of the puddle, and placed it on a barrel. She threw her arms around his body again. Neji didn't open his eyes.

"It will dry soon... you can put it back on later."

And with those simple words, she proceeded to shower the Hyuuga's neck with baby kisses.

Neji's eyes opened, lit with fury and insult, as the girl continued to kiss his neck. She didn't even notice his eyes were open, little own what they were harboring. In fact, there were a number of things she didn't notice that she just did within the space of the last few seconds that had Neji one 'discipline session' away from literally hitting her. To think... this idiot actually had the NERVE to claim he was numb after what she just did... She was the one who just picked up a Konoha forehead protector without 'feeling' anything.

While still neck-pecking, Tenten began to rub Neji's chest... still blind to the fact that she might as well have been pulling the golden ring of a bull's snout in doing so.

"Neji... come on... kiss me again."

In utter surprise... the Hyuuga seemed to calm down when he heard those words. He began to breathe in and out calmly in one of his breathing exercises. He began to think clearly once more. He felt light again... okay, he made a terrible mistake going as far as he did... but he didn't have to take it a step further. The bright side of this situation was that he recognized his mistake, regained control of himself, and now he could begin to rectify the situation. He slipped up, but there was a chance his uncle would go easy on him if he ended this incident the mature way... He could still get out of this thing... he still had a way out... he could change things... he could still make his father proud... he didn't have to given into unseen powers... he could decide his own path... fate laid no claim on him.

First, he had to set Tenten straight once and for all.

Neji snatched the hand that caressed his chest, and struck fear into the heart of the woman who stared into his eyes.

"And then what?..." Neji asked simply.

Tenten, whose mouth gaped open, couldn't figure out a proper statement to capture her confusion and shock.

"You asked me to kiss you again... what will happen after I kiss you, Tenten?"

"Neji... I-I don't know what you mean..."

"Its simple... I asked you where we would go from here after I listened to you and 'kissed you again'... Let me guess... We go to our homes and pretend nothing happened, right? We go on like nothing ever changed in front of my uncle as we trained, and sneak away to our little romantic rendevous' on the weekends. Is that what you had in mind?"

Neji threw the hand he snatched back to its owner, who immediately gripped her pain-ridden wrist. The thing that scared Tenten the most about Neji's sudden questions was the lack of aggression and sarcasm behind them. He spoke as though it were a common conversation in a common situation... and yet, she felt like she was being suffocated by those 'common words'. She dare not open her mouth.

"Or better yet...we just run away from my uncle altogether. We forget about our lives, our hopes, our dreams, and our village by riding off on a stallion into the sunset as two lovers fighting for our right to be together, rebelling against our families... Hmmm... all we have to do is find a white horse and we could be on our way."

...She was beginning to get what he was trying to say.

"Tenten... I asked you a question... we kiss again... and then what?"

"... I don't know."

"Hmph. You don't know... why am I not surprised?"

Neji picked up his drenched head gear and stared into the Leaf symbol deeply... He spoke.

"I wonder... how much time did you actually spend thinking about this meeting before you arranged it?"

"I spent more time thinking about it then you would believe..." Tenten spoke truthfully with her head down, her pleasure flow severed.

"Apparently it wasn't enough... I believe if you really thought about this long enough, you wouldn't need me to remind you of who you are."

"Neji?"

"Do you remember the day they gave these to us?" Neji raised his forehead protector to Tenten. "Do you remember what we agreed to the day of academy graduation? Do you remember what you became?"

"...I became a ninja."

"You became a ninja of Hidden Leaf Village." Neji corrected her coldly. "You became a top-ranking genin, easily the strongest of the kunoichi of our graduating class."

"Yes... I remember..."

"No you don't. If you remembered all of this, you wouldn't be behaving like some foolish civilian."

Tenten gasped as she looked at Neji, whose eyes were bound to the forehead protector in his grasp.

"... I forgot who I was for a moment as well... In fact, both of us forgot who we were on that night... just like we forgot when we kissed."

The kunoichi dropped her head once more. Neji continued.

"This is not us, Tenten...staring off into a sunset, looking into each other's eyes as we embrace, holding each other in the moonlight, running away to be with each other... That is NOT who we are, and that is NOT what we agreed to."

Neji suddenly held up the Konoha forehead protector with vehement conviction, clutching the steel with cold fingers, the head gear shaking in his grasp.

"THIS is who we are! We are shinobi of the Village Hidden in Leaves. We are NOT civilians. A civilian has the luxury to play around, to date, to flirt, to enjoy themselves. They have the right to be careless. They have the right to walk around with their heads in the clouds, but we do not."

His love was speechless... even the unseen powers had to show obeisance to the boy's profession.

"Every time a shinobi is caught with their heads in the clouds... EVERY TIME a shinobi is careless, someone has to die for it... Tenten... you have forgotten who you are, but I have not. You are a ninja of Hidden Leaf Village. Now... get your head out of the clouds and start liking like one."

Neji almost knocked Tenten over as he blew by her, making his way to the door of the fish room.

"I will not be repeating myself anymore... This issue has been resolved."

He turned the knob to the door. Tenten was left standing with her head down, her sryup-brown bangs casting darkness over her eyes.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm a ninja. I decided I wanted to be a ninja when I was only 6..."

Neji sighed with impatience, deciding to ignore his girlfriend as he opened the fish room door.

"... and I never thought I would live to regret or loath that decision until I. met. YOU." Her statement grew darker with every word, causing the atmosphere about the room to descend deeper into hell.

Though he had to struggle to break free from her clutches multiple times, his curiosity still got the better of him... It always would when it came to her. Not only that, but her words hurt him... and Neji needed to know if those hurtful words were blurted out of frustration, or if there was actually some validity behind them. He shut the door, keeping the cold night's air from merging with the much colder air of the storage room.

"...Meaning?"

Neji turned his back to the door, and Tenten turned her front to her love. She allowed her eyes to remain hidden behind her bangs, and spoke with her head down.

"I remember my first day at the academy. I was 7... I was so excited and happy, just like all of my friends were. We thought that being a ninja was all about having fun and going on adventures. Although our teachers and parents told us it is a hard life, we were sure that we could enjoy ourselves and have a good time as shinobi. Me and my friends walked into the Academy with huge grins on our faces... but then I met you."

Neji folded his arms as he listened.

"We all heard about you before that day, but this was our first time seeing the Hyuuga Prodigy in person. Even back then, you were so far ahead of us in your skills and your knowledge of the ninja lifestyle. You weren't like any boy I have ever seen... the others would laugh and talk loudly during lectures... they would play pranks on the girls, but not you... You got the highest marks in all of our classes... you were mature... I wanted to be like you."

Tenten raised her head, causing her bangs to rest on the sides of her temple. She smiled plainly. She stared at the Hyuuga who stared back with intolerance. She marveled at how many times he threatened to leave and yet remained. So did he.

"You see, Neji... I have only begun to effect your life, and you have only just begun to make choices in your life that involve me... but this has been the story of my life as far back as I can remember. You have always effected me, Hyuuga."

Neji couldn't help but feel a pinch flattered in the midst of his indifference.

"I saw that you were strong and smart... but I also saw that you had no friends... and you never smiled. You looked so angry... You didn't waste time playing foolish games like the rest of us, and I thought that was what made you stronger then us. I wanted to keep my friends because I had so much fun with them, but I also wanted to become one of the strongest kunoichi Konoha has ever seen... to not only reach the level of renown that the Hokage-sama has reached, but also to make my late father proud of me... You had no friends, but you were so strong... so I stopped hanging out with my friends so I could become strong too."

Neji diverted his eyes slightly.

"Some of my friends stayed close to me, but most of them hated me because I stopped playing around in class. The girls spread vicious lies about me... but I excelled over all of them. I trained hard, I studied myself to sleep, I passed the Academy exams with flying colors... I sacrificed a large piece of my childhood to become strong like you... and it worked."

Tenten gradually reached for the back of her head and began to release the tight knot of her navy-blue forehead protector. She pulled off her headgear and stared at it.

"And then it came time for our class to pair into 3-man cells. I never dreamed in a million years that I would be paired with your group. I was so happy! Now not only would I become as strong as you... but I would surpass you by studying your style... You were also very cute." Tenten laughed. "But... the more time I spent with you, the more unhappy and bitter I came to realize you were... and I... as childish as it was, thought it was the price tag that came with strength... even at that point in my life, I decided to follow you... I followed you so closely that I even began to pick up on the parts of your personality that I always hated... I started to treat people the way you treated them..."

Tenten's eyes had suddenly been painted with sadness and regret, a horrible memory circulating her mind as she recalled a cruel sentence she passed over a close friend.

_"Lee, you sure don't know when to give up... Of course you CAN'T win. Because... unlike you, Neji is a genius."_

"And... a few days after I realized what I was becoming... I hated myself for it. I hated that THIS was the price I had to pay for strength... And then I thought about all my friends that I left behind and looked down on... for a second, I regretted that I ever became a ninja, and I hated myself because I became just like you..."

The intensity of Neji's eyes lowered, but remained diverted. The same memory passed through his mind in the exact same moment. He also recalled his own harsh words to Lee in those days, and exhaled his sorrow through his nostrils.

_"Hmph. If you cannot perform ninjutsu or genjutsu, then you are not a ninja at all... No matter how hard you train, you will never beat me... this has already been decided."_

"I have changed since then." Neji spoke simply, masking his emotions.

"I know you have changed... I watched it with my own eyes. You still don't smile very often..." Tenten joked dryly. "But you aren't bitter anymore... you have changed **so much**, Neji... and that change has made you more then just the Hyuuga Prodigy... it has made you more then just an elite ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village... It made you a friend to Lee and... it made you so much more then a friend to me."

Neji glanced at his forehead protector once more in his grip, his lavenders following a tear of water dripping from the midnight fabric and slamming onto the floor. Tenten, who appeared to have just awoken from a deep thought, suddenly spoke slowly and carefully as though she was decoding a secret message from an ancient map.

"...Yes, I am a ninja... I haven't forgotten that. However, everything that happened last month reminded me that I am more then just a ninja... I am a woman."

Tenten breathed deeply, and smiled with more radiance and glee then Neji figured she ever could have mustered, given the situation. He never recalled seeing her face lit with such brilliance.

"No one has ever made me feel more like a woman then you have, Neji. You may think it is foolish and childish to get hung up on those romantic moments, but I don't care... When you held me... When you touched my face... the butterflies that jumped in my stomach! The warmth in my heart! It felt too good to be true!"

Tenten voice reached the high places of ecstasy as she spoke, traces of giggles in every word.

"And to think, I am still the same little naive girl I was back then! Nothing has changed... I still follow your example, allowing you to dictate what I will become... I followed you from being an elite, to becoming cruel... and now... I have followed you into adulthood. I already told you Neji... We are more then just ninjas..."

"... But we are ninjas before we are anything else." Neji spoke into the silence, realizing he just broke his word by repeating his argument on the 3 year agreement. Still, he spoke on. "Before we are man and woman, we are comrades. And if we are to aim to be the best Konoha has to offer, we must lay our manhood and womanhood aside."

"That's where you and your uncle are wrong."

Tenten spoke with cheerful authority, tying her forehead protector around her forehead while lifting her bangs out of the way.

"...I'll prove you both wrong by becoming a great kunoichi WHILE enjoying myself as a young woman!"

"Hmph... you are such a fool." Neji answered coldly without a moment's hesitation, fear secretly drenching his body by reason of Tenten's lack of submissiveness.

"Heh... If that's the case then I've only begun to be a fool."

Neji felt as though a tempest was headed his way with every piercing step she took toward him. The unseen powers delighted themselves in the blinding ruthlessness they saw in the girls eyes as she set about to accomplish their will for her. The fortified walls Neji built in the unseen realm crumbled before her. No barrier, no profession of 'right' and 'purity' would dare stand before her. The honey-skinned weapon mistress had become an entirely different person altogether. The 'enchantress' and herself had merged fully.

...Neji didn't stand a chance...

She stood before the Hyuuga once more, eye-to-eye, chest-to-chest...

"Neji... I promise you... I'm only going to get more 'foolish' from this point on!"

Neji attempted to stand toe-to-toe with this bold and energized woman without fear... however, Tenten's hands moved quickly into his without paying any heed to his attempt. Neji immediately made a tight fist with both hands, and Tenten was left wrapping her fingers about his knuckles. She smiled in her stubborn boyfriend's face. A slight breeze from either direction would have been all it took to push the two into another kiss. She spoke on with cunning and irresistible confidence.

"For you see... I am a woman and a ninja... but right now... I feel like expressing myself as a woman..." She cooed simply. "Yes... I think I'll remind you of why the things we protect as ninja are so worthy of that protection in the first place."

Neji didn't dare utter a word, knowing it would just come out weak. He didn't dare release his fists, knowing he would be handing her fingers the victory. He didn't dare turn away from that beautiful and firm smile... but he didn't know how to explain why.

Tenten stayed in his face, but didn't make a move. She dropped her eyes momentarily to stare at his fists. She moved her fingers over his knuckles slowly, and yet tormented the Hyuuga once more with cunning words.

"For all my life as a ninja, I have been selfless... I gave myself to training and to the mission for the benefit of Konoha and to make my father proud. I can honestly say what I am about to do is completely selfish... I am about to make you mine..."

She lightly pressed her sly lips into his own unwilling and unprepared ones. She released to kiss him with more sly words, resting her forehead against his own.

"This doesn't have anything to do with Konoha, The Hokage Tsunade-sama, my father, your uncle... it doesn't even have anything to do with you..."

She sandwiched his bottom lip with her own, leaving his upper lip lonely for a moment. A wet smack sounded loudly in the storage room when she allowed her lips to slide off of the kiss. Her eyes were drunk with desire, and covered drowsily with tanned eyelids. It could be argued that the Hyuuga pushed his bottom lip outward willingly so she could taste it.

"This is all for **me**... but..."

Neji, who you would figure to be a helpless coward if all you had to go on was this instance, began to succumb to intoxication as well... his eyes darkened with lust... he released his fist and his strength, and linked his fingers with hers. His forehead protector almost dropped to the floor as Neji released it momentarily, but he and Tenten caught it with their combined grip around each others hands. It dangled, the fabric dipping itself on the cool ground.

"...I think you'll enjoy this anyway..."

It felt so different this time... If felt good to her before, but now it felt different... She wondered why this magical kiss, literally breathtaking, was so different then just a few minutes ago... As she stood there, trapped deep in his inviting mouth, the only thought that came to mind is that he wasn't resisting her at all anymore... The last kiss, though his choice, still had some resistance in it. This time... he was a complete and willing participant. She leaned in even deeper to the kiss as their tongues massaged one another... Her body shivered at the entrance of Neji's breath as she pulled it into her own lungs.

"mm.. Neji..."

She breathed out two words in a husky tone after pulling from the Hyuuga for a moment. She soon drew back again, flying into her love's fire. Though the tempo of their 'love' was slow-paced, Tenten found her own flames growing ever higher. Having Neji breathe inside her was incredible, but she wanted more... She pressed her fingers harshly against his knuckles in the midst of their hand-holding.

Neji pushed his lips into his girlfriend in many interesting ways... eyes blackened by lust and death... Tenten, in the usual result of paying too much attention to Neji, was blinded to what was right in front of her. He had failed to redeem himself... he had failed his clan and his own discipline. As he gently and serenely kissed hell's deliciously vile lips and delighted himself in death's tongue dripping with clear venom, he knew all to well that he failed...

_"... You must give your life to your training, nephew... _

_... Do not be decieved Neji... love weakens muscles... _

... I know your father would have wanted the same thing for you..."

...Tch, to hell with it all then. He screwed up anyway, right? As he opened his dead eyes to the stupid and unbearably beautiful girl who wrapped her claws around his hands, he decided something... If he was going to fail, then he would fail triumphantly. Neji never liked to do anything half-assed. If he was going down, he was going to go down with every dark and sinister fiber in his being... If the little idiot wanted to throw everything away for a few moments of pleasure... then so be it...

With the violence of a raging maelstrom did Neji rip himself from Tenten's 'finger link', sending his forehead protector flying hard against the door behind them in the process. Before giving her a chance out pour out anymore foolishness from her mouth, the Hyuuga threw his right arm around her upper torso, and thrust her against his body. She gasped, and her eyes immediately went to his forehead for some unknown reasons... Perhaps because she didn't want to look into his bitter and dark eyes... or into his void face... however, what she saw when she looked at his forehead made her eyes shake with fear for a moment... His curse seal... that wicked curse seal... somehow... It never appeared...so... bright.

It was done... the unseen forces hidden within the shadows of life need only sit back, and watch... as the storage room erupt in black flames...

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a/n - SORRY about yet another cliffhanger! I wanted to make the next chapter included in this chapter, but I didn't want you guys to wait any longer. Chapter 23, and the conclusion of this little meeting, should be up VERY SOON. Hopefully this chappie provides some closure for you guys til' then. Remember to feed me some feedback, even if it does come off as mindless ranting! It inspires me to write more when I get feedback.

Also, I do realize that Neji's curse seal does not actually glow brighter or dimmer depending on moods... That wasn't to be taken literally. The mention of his curse seal becoming more apparent has metaphorical and underlying meanings, as does much of NejiTen's relationship in this fic.


	23. Intermission

First, allow me to apologize to you guys for making you think this was an actual topic rather then a bunch of info and comments! I just typed it because I decided to clarify some things as well as get your opinions on certain things. 

**JP:** I would have PM'ed you, but you don't have an FF account... Anyway, Neji isn't 16. He's 16 in part 2 of the manga, and this fic takes place during the time period between Part 1 and Part 2... making him 15. In fact, just so there is no confusion:

Neji: 15 Tenten: 15 Shikamaru: 14 Temari: 17 Kankuro: 16 Gaara: 14 Ino: 14 Chouji: 14 Sakura: 14 Kiba: 14 Shino: 14 Hinata: 14 Lee: 14 Hanabi: 8 Konohamaru: 9 Udon: 9 Moegi: 9

Meh... there not completely accurate, but y'know... whatever.

Anyways... I notice a bunch of you (according to the reviews) don't like Hiashi and don't agree with his methods... This actually surprised me! I knew that most folks would take Tenten's side and think Hiashi to be evil, but I at least expected SOME support for the misunderstood Hyuuga! I mean, I know I wrote him and everything... but am I the only one who thinks that Hiashi's decision makes a lot of sense? It might be harsh, but the fact is that his methods were pretty effective (noted by Tenten becoming much stronger). And the truth is that having... 'relations' throws off your focus when you are training for something. I used to take boxing classes and whenever a big match was coming up I was literally barred from seeing any women for a week or two by my coaches. This harsh little law is enforced in a sport like boxing... How much more should it be enforced in Neji and Tenen's case, in whose hands the lives of innocent villagers rest? And you have to realize that Hiashi is TRULY doing this for both of their benefitis, or atleast what he thinks will benefit them. I'm not saying Hiashi and Neji are 100 percent right in their reasoning, but do you guys really think Tenten is some kind of innocent angel in all of this?... ESPECIALLY in light of chapter 21 and 22? If my story-telling is effective (and I hope it is) you folks should be able to see this '3-year agreement' in the eyes of Hiashi, Neji and Tenten very clearly. You should be able to see ALL of their point of views, and the strengths and weaknesses of their arguments.

Anyway, I would really like to know everyone's opinion on Neji, Tenten, and Hiashi at this point. Who, from your perspective, is right? Who is wrong? I prefer you post your opinions in the review section, as PM's sometimes take a while to get processed.

Oh, and don't think I forgot about InoCho, ShikaTem, and... KibaSaku? Also don't think I am skimping on my writing quality when it comes to those pairings either. Though they are progressing much slower (for character development), expect all pairings in this fic to eventually be just as (or pretty damn close) exciting and dramatic as NejiTen! I especially have to redeem my ShikaTem, as they have admittedly turned out to be the weakest of my pairings thus far. This frustrates me to no end because ShikaTem is actually my favorite pairing in the manga by far! lol.

Anyway, thank you guys SO MUCH for all the love in your feedback. It makes a guy feel all warm and gooey on the inside! Sorry again for causing some of your update alerts to sound for no reason! Chapter 23 is on the horizon... just sit tight til' then.


	24. Chapter 23

Okay... prepare yourself for a LONG chapter, folks. lol. And... to give you fair warning... This chapter has strong content... very strong. I showed it to a bunch of friends and they all agreed that it is in the confines of the T rating... but just barely. I remind you again, it is strong. There is a chance that the content might be a little offensive... Enjoy!

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"I will hear no more on this matter. You will be trained in the VARIOUS uses of the Byakugan and that is final!"

The tan-skinned Hyuuga bellowed with thunder in what appeared to be a common trait among the vocal cords of the infamous bloodline. His dark-gray and untamed locks twirled and danced in the night's wind. The Hyuuga was now attempting to set the child before him straight with astute threats.

"But ffaatthher!!!" The Hyuuga child with acorn-hair whined with a 'puppy-dog' stare of lavender. "This training is boring to me! I wanna learn how to make someone's insides explode with one strike, just like you!"

A vein came to the side of the Hyuuga's weathered forehead as he exercised some restraint in not knocking some obedience into his son. Ryo's mom spoiled the boy rotten, and he needed to be disciplined. However, his dad knew that if he decided to take physical action against his son he would just go crying to her... which would spell 'trouble' in capital letters for him. The Hyuuga exhaled in defeat, as wads of sweat wet the backs of the three Branch House servants draped in blue robes. They hardly ever saw their master give in to anyone... and yet, this 6 year old boy...

"Ryo... how many times must I tell you?!" The question came out more as a plea from the Main House member draped in a kimono of black. "If you are to become a shinobi even close to my caliber, then you must acknowledge the many different uses of your birth right..."

"iGreat. He's bowing his head and closing his eyes... Time for another long-winded speech./I"

Ryo's thoughts found a perfect hiding place behind a face that looked wholly interested and attentive to the old man's words.

"You were born into a mighty clan, Ryo... mightiest and most powerful of all the clans, actually. But our powers lie in so much more then being able to identify and shut down chakra points. If that was the case, then the Hyuuga clan would be mere killers... no better then that bloodthirsty pack of simpletons once known as the Kaguya clan."

Loving the way he was sounding to himself, the old Hyuuga turned his back to his son and set his face toward the east. He looked down on Konoha with solemn eyes from his vantage point on the hilly fields of green just a few blocks from the manor. Ryo took this as the perfect opportunity to drop the facade. His unknowing father continued the speech.

"... We have been the heart, the fist, and the pride of Konoha for many generations because we are not only efficient at eliminating threats, but because we are inherently superior to all others in 'search and recover' missions. Faster then an Aburame's Kikai beetle and more dependable then an Inuzuka's nose, our Byakugan reigns supreme in making clear what is unclear to all others. And an Uchiha's Sharingan? Bah!... The Byakguan is the weakness of the Sharingan. There is no genjutsu or illusion that could cloud the eyes of a seasoned Hyuuga. Our use of the Byakugan to retrieve lost ninja and enemy scrolls speaks for itself, as it is what tipped the Third Great War in this villages favor... so son, never think that your Byakugan training sessions are to be taken lightly, even if they are 'boring'... son?"

The old Hyuuga turned back around to his acorn-haired little one. His lavender eyes bugged out and his jaw hit the floor when he saw the buffoon trying to strike a lightning bug dead with feeble jyuuken strikes.

"Almost... there!"

The lightning bug taunted the boy by 'not' getting hit, its abdomen pulsating a low green as it eventually flew off into the moonlit sky. The child allowed his tiny veins to sink back down into the sides of his eyes and snapped his fingers.

"Damn! Got away... what?!?" The boy asked his father who stood stupefied the whole time. Ryo's wandering attention span had really brought him to a place far away from his dad's speech. He barely had a grasp on what he was doing out in the cold in the first place.

The Branch House Servants remained speechless, more sweat collecting down their backs. The boy looked at the servants.

"... WHAT!?"

"Just retrieve the gems, idiot!"

His enraged and exhausted father dug into the pockets of his komodo and plucked his hand out with a fist full of marble-sized beads of various colors and hues. Of course, the ink-blackness of the night apart from two lanterns caused the gorgeous stones to come out with bland shades touched with death. In a sweeping motion he hurled the gems into the night sky, causing them to fly in various places in the village. The old Hyuuga had some kind of monster sealed in that left arm of his, as many of the stones seemed to disappear into the black of the night altogether.

"There are 20 gems. Find them all, and bring them back within 15 minutes... use your Byakugan well."

"Awwwww... If I have to!"

Ryo started down the hill toward the south, noting that a bundle of the gems were dispensed in that direction.

"One of you." The old Hyuuga spoke to this servants without looking their way. "Go down with Ryo but DO NOT HELP HIM. Your only goal is to keep him out of harm's way. If a marketplace drunkard so much as lays a finger on my son... then you will separate that finger from the drunkard... Understood?"

A branch member servant with a clean-shaven head and sharp nose bowed his head and made his way down to the south of the hill. The fabric of his forehead protector/'curse seal' cover swayed in the wind as he ran after the boy.

-----------------------------

She stood there, locked in the uncomfortably tight clutches of her boyfriend... Tenten felt as though her torso would be wrenched in two when Neji tightened his hold on her sides even further. Before a groan from the pain could escape her open mouth, Neji immediately filled it with his own. He attacked the girl's mouth without pity. His tongue ran deeper down her mouth then she was prepared for, and almost gagged on it. Tilting his head to the side while hers remained level, the Hyuuga caught her in a lip lock that was not easily broken... Tenten knew this because she tried to break away from it. For a moment she was cooperating with it, but she needed to breathe at some point. She tried to pull away from her love but when she did, Neji tightened the grip even further. Sudden pain, the suddenness of the pain making it that much more painful, shot into the nerves in her back and resulted with a vicious spasm that left her arching over his arm for a moment. The Hyuuga leaned into her back's painful arch so that the kiss would not be severed, applying even more force to it with his own body weight. Eventually he pulled the girl back up to a level position by seizing the back of her neck with his left hand. His left grip tightened and dug into the brown hair just above the back of her neck. The deep moan that was the response to the hair grabbing forced its way into Neji's open mouth. The vibration from it tickled his insides and encouraged him to force more dark love into her throat... to scratch this sudden itch that came over him... to fan these black flames...

Tenten's own tongue laid docile behind the teeth of her lower jaw in disgust, allowing Neji's to have free reign over her mouth. It didn't even feel like a real kiss... it was more like he was sucking life out of her. Soon, the moans of pleasures broke out into muffled pleas of release. She tried to pull her mouth away again, but Neji pursued her lips and brought her into another kiss. She could feel his teeth graze the borders of her lips.. Almost suggesting that he would bite her if she tried to escape again. Tenten opened her eyes to stare at Neji... eerily, his eyes appeared to be open the whole time... staring into her with cold lavenders.

He watched her... He watched her the whole time... lustful intentions oozing from his eyes like pus from a runny sore. He almost smiled into the kiss as he saw her brown eyes open with panic and confusion... as though she wasn't the one who had been asking for this all evening... He felt her perfect body squirm in his grasp, attempting to break free in a way that masked how awkward and terrified she really felt right now... but that only brought him more pleasure, as her breasts smeared deeper into his chest with every failed attempt at escape. He decided to ignore the muffled pleas... they were getting annoying. They weren't much of a turn-on... but when she attempted to push away from the embrace with a firm hand planted on his chest... well, that just about sent him over the edge. He grabbed hold of her wrist serenely with his free hand... only to yank it off of his chest with unnecessary roughness.. He allowed the right arm that was wrapped about her sides to elevate itself to a level around her rib cage. He yanked her about as close as they could possibly be, their chest bones crashing against each other, never breaking the kiss and never breaking his gaze. Tenten was persistent... but she wasn't entirely stupid. After a few moments of struggling and pleas that fell on deaf ears... Her eyes closed in submission... and her hands fell dead to the sides of her body... She would suffice to breathe through her nose.

At that exact moment... When she gave into his will... Neji loosened his tight hold around her.

... He released the kiss with a loud smack and an ominous expression. In the midst of his drunkenness and malicious thoughts Neji decided to educate his teammate. He would make it perfectly clear to the idiot that HE was the one in control. He would take this just as far as he wanted... he would stop when he wanted... he would allow her to breathe when he wanted...

She had some power over him at one point... but no longer. NO ONE had any control over him... he was making these decisions because he had control over his own life... NOTHING had any control over him...

Fate laid no claim on him.

When he let her out of that chilling grasp, Tenten's hurt and embarrassed eyes immediately hit the floor while she took in some much needed air.. She refused to look into his eyes... She didn't like that... She didn't like the way that felt and she would make it obvious to him. She tried to pretend that it wasn't clear to her what was going on right now... She tried to pretend that she didn't realize that it didn't matter much to Neji if she liked it...

The Wui girl forced her chin down harder when she felt his cream-white hand grab on to it. She attempted to fight Neji for about a half of a second before taking pressure off of her chin and allowing Neji to take hold of it. He was stronger then her... Much stronger.

Neji scrunched up the girl's chin with his index finger and thumb, and guided it upward so that he could look in her face. Her eyes looked fevered and tired... lost... He began to move his fingers from the tip of her chin to the sides of her jaw line with harsh gentleness.

She tried so hard to like this... She tried hard to like the way Neji was caressing her face... But his eyes wouldn't let her. They were intense and filled with wickedness... They gave off a sickening tepid radiance, feeling cold with intent and yet hot with carnality. They delivered the message even clearer then his tight grasp around her body. She moaned weakly when Neji's cold hand ran down her bare neck, something deep in her heart trembling at the possibility of it choking her. She watched wearily as his lavenders followed the movements of his hand. His chilled grasp moved slowly against her collarbone. She diverted her eyes when she realized were his found its resting place... Her body went tense with apprehension when his left hand reached the point of his eye contact. An unwilling groan escaped her as she shut her eyes tightly. She attempted to move back a little... at which point it became painfully obvious why Neji allowed his right arm to remain looming over her body. As her back brushed against his forearm she felt that forearm come to life and prepare to force her closer to him once more. She got the message. His grasp around her with his right arm was to make sure she stayed still.. She stopped moving back and allowed the groping to continue with closed eyes...

She felt so ashamed... It was the most humiliating thing she ever been through... and yet it was progressing so painfully slow... He touched her 'there' earlier when they were kissing... but this wasn't the same. They were touching each other then... but now he was just touching her... and now the 'touching' was much more intense and vile. He moved slowly and pressed his hand harshly into her flesh... 'grabbing' and cupping while he was groping.. His heavy and husky breathing was becoming more apparent to her... It was the only thing that entered her eardrums for a while... For a while, all she could do was hear and feel. She prayed that he would just stop...

"Neji..."

Her prayers went unheard. Even though his groping definitely had a taste of violence to it, Tenten wasn't in pain because of it... The thing that really made shame and fear crawl up and down her innards was the slow pace... His hands pressed into her with such deliberate cruelty. He was so calculating in his slackened pace... He was making her feel... so... cheap...

Her eyes slowly opened when eternity finally ended. He was now moving his hand from her rib cage down to her naval area, the intrusiveness of his cold touch exciting her skin as though the pink vest wasn't even there. His fingers curiously moved over the gold-plated buckles that kept her pink vest fastened... the pink vest that effectively blanketed her lush and well-developed 'womanhood'. Tenten quietly thanked heaven that he couldn't quite figure out how to unfasten the damn things. It took her awhile to get used to it herself... As frustration caused the Hyuuga's eyes to tighten and his fingers to move about the buckles angrily, Tenten felt the evil intent recede for a moment... if she was going to do anything to stop her boyfriend's endeavors, now was the time to do it.

Without thinking... in a sudden haze of nervous energy, Tenten leapt face first into those black flames, smearing her lips deeply into his own, her hands pressed against his cheeks.. Shock plagued the Hyuuga's face from her sudden burst of life. She pressed her body into his while she kissed him, so it was now even more complicated for him to get those buckles undone. He allowed the kiss to continue and relieved his left hand of its mission. Good. Tenten grabbed hold of his dangling left hand with her right and quickly rebuilt the former 'finger link'.

The pants of exhausted lungs and 'squish' sound of wet lips smacking into each other was the only thing the two heard as the intense kiss that Tenten put on Neji continued... it seemed as though all other sound around them had been vacuumed, sealed, stolen away by some thief in the night... At least, that's how it seemed to the terrified Wui girl. As the black flames arose... that feeling of humiliation and sharp discomfort arose with it. Her cheeks were flushed blood-red with shame, and her sick eyes were poorly masked with a feigned gaze of pleasure. She didn't kiss Neji so passionately for the sole purpose of making him forget about removing her top... she kissed Neji so passionately because she was still trying to enjoy this... She was forcing herself to be a willing participant... because if she wasn't a willing participant in this, then that means Neji was forcing her into this... And if Neji was forcing her into this, then that would make him a... it would make him something he definitely was not... and she would not allow his reputation or honor to be blotched in her eyes... so, she had to enjoy this...

Truth be told... she didn't know who this was... no... as she pushed herself away from the flaming kiss and panted with open mouth before him... she stared into the decrepit eyes of a stranger... she caressed the face of this panting stranger... rubbing her fingers into him... as though she was trying to soften the stony places within his features... It didn't work... It never worked. Suddenly... this stranger seemed so very familiar to her...The raw fear trembling beneath her skin was only matched by the sudden wound to her saddened heart. Her Neji would never take pleasure in this... in her violation. But... this all-to-familiar stranger... well, Tenten knew this type of 'pleasure' was right up his alley.

Neji was enjoying this. Such satisfaction and pleasure he had not felt in so long. A half-smirk lay buried and hidden behind the stare of a murderer. Not only did his love feel and taste as luscious as she looked, but he was giving her exactly what she asked for. When he thought about this fact... he realized that he was such a good and considerate boyfriend! There was only a handful of guys who would do exactly what their girlfriends asked of them, and Neji was proud to be one of them. The fool wanted him to 'have her'... And have her he would... he would have all of her.

Neji's eyes passed over the girl's finger link nonchalantly and apathetically. What a weak attempt to gain control on her part... Still, he thought it might be amusing to watch her try to calm him down and move this along at her pace in the same way it was amusing to watch a hamster exhaust its energy by running endlessly on a tiny, stationary wheel... it would be even more amusing when Neji once again made it painfully clear that her efforts didn't work. He would have her... O, how he would have her! Nothing was going to stop him from having her... Nothing. He had given up too much not to have her. As far as he was concerned he traded in his life for this girl, and he would make sure that the trade was worth it...

He gave up everything...

...He...

Tenten's sorrow climaxed as she continued to futilely massage her sweetheart's face. Tenten wasn't sad because she knew that she was about to be raped by her crush. She already accepted that fact as much as anyone could 'accept' something so twisted. She was sad because she saw it... it happened in the blink of an eye, but she saw it in his face... Neji couldn't hide it... she saw that, in the midst of the black flames was a child being set ablaze by them... being tormented in them. Neji was that child... Neji was in so much pain right now... such inner turmoil... had she been the one responsible? She didn't mean to hurt him... she didn't mean... she never wanted...

"_Neji... why did it have to come to this?" _

She whispered the question in her thoughts in the harsh knowledge that an answer to that question would never come... and even if it did it wouldn't make a difference... still, she had to release that question from her heavy heart and churning bowels, even if the question was posed to herself. They were teammates just a month ago... everything was the way it should have been... and now...

Tenten didn't realize it initially, but Neji was moving in close to her face. The difference in their height had never been more apparent to her... her hair buns reached the base of his eyebrows when she stood with her head straight up... but at the moment she felt much smaller. His shadow consumed her as he bent his head down to rob her of another kiss. Though she accepted her fate for the night... she was still very scared of the impending pain. Despite her fear... despite a scared child being burnt alive in his own flames... no one was coming to rescue either of them...'this' was going to happen...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a wonder he didn't force blood to spurt from his tiny veins into the whites of his eyes. The little boy strained with every muscle in his tiny body only to cause his vision to phase through the buildings just a few short meters before him. It didn't help that the Housing District of Konoha was quite interesting this time of night... watching the silent screams and hushed threats of the people who are counted as shining examples of 'perfect marriage' always satisfied the curious nature of the youth. It was the plus side of the boring Byakugan training sessions... Of course, his father's minuscule time limit and this Branch House servant wasn't going to give Ryo a lot of time for spying on the villagers tonight. Ryo gave the scan a quick 'once over' before turning to his Branch House keeper.

"Yup... I found all of the gems in this area!" Ryo smiled at him.

"Hmmm..." The Branch House member caused his veins to rise about his eyes and smirked almost immediately. He knew his master told him not to help the boy, but... "Perhaps you should look over this area a bit closer Ryo-kun..."

"Why? I checked already and we don't have a lotta time!" Ryo whined.

"I'm just giving you a suggestion, Ryo-kun... Check the area once more." The servant repeated himself simply.

Ryo focused his Byakugan once more and swung his head from left to right. Of course he didn't really need to do this since the Byakugan's user can see but a few degrees shy of 360, but he wanted to stress the futility of this search to the stupid servant.

"See? I told you I got all of them his area! Now we have even less time to look in the marketplace! Thanks a lot!" Ryo blurted out quickly in a hissy fit.

The servant chuckled with his eyes closed before looking thoughtfully at his young master. The servant then raised his left foot slowly and indicatively into the air. The boy then raised his eyebrow, looked down at his feet and likewise raised his left foot into the air... He knelt down to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him.

"Ohhh... Hehehehe, found the last one!"

Ryo scratched the back of his head with a grin on his face, holding the last gem in front of the servant.

The Branch House member turned his back to the boy to conceal his grin and began to make his way down the dusty road that led to the marketplace.

"Hey! Wait up!" Ryo scurried behind his keeper with 14 of the 20 gems in his pockets.

-----------------------------------------

The brutality of his kisses left her lips bruised like a peach. Still... she wouldn't let the kissing stop. Her nervousness was actually beginning to make her the more aggressive one in this scene, soon breaking the finger link and throwing her arms around his neck. Although Neji's arms were wrapped around her body, he was hardly holding her still like he was before. She squirmed, wormed and wiggled her body against his own while he held on to her. Neji couldn't lie... he was really enjoying this. Her attempt to maintain control with the finger link left him wanting, but the river-smooth ripples of her body splashing against his aching desire, tempting his more 'sensitive' areas, flirting with his dark intent, seeking to harness but a little of the black flames intensity... well, he found it much more inventive. As she massaged her hips into him and made her unsurprisingly tight stomach kiss his own, Neji almost thought to give it to her... he almost considered giving her control of the tempo... but he decided 'no' at the last. Still... he was enjoying this.

She knew he was enjoying this. Years of toning one's body to the rigorous standard of ballet would not disappoint. Even in a desperate situation, the 'enchantress' wasn't entirely out of ideas. She would dance with this stranger who she loved. She would tame this beast... lay hold of this demon. She would keep the boy's eyes busy with her face and his hands busy her constant movement. She would entrance the boy with her grace and her passion... She would not stop kissing, and she would not stop squirming.

While the enchantress within her continued to work her magic, Tenten was left with the arduous task of not allowing her thick terror to disrupt the rhythm of her movements. As a fighter she was well aware of what happens when your enemy picks up even the slightest whiff of fear. It would energize his drive... It would make him attack her with even more ferocity. No... He was going to hurt her regardless, but Tenten prayed that this sensuous waltz would stay the fury-drenched prowess of Neji's luxuria to a certain extent.

Tenten broke away from a particularly heavy tongue-tussle that left her longing for oxygen. Without thinking she flung her head against his left cheek and rested it there, her whole body putting considerable weight on the Hyuuga and making him stumble backward. The mixture of both of their stinging sweat provided a rather sticky and smelly pillow for the kunoichi's head. Though she continued to rub herself against him... Tenten was beginning to realize it was in vain. The evil intent would not waver despite the fact that Neji hadn't made a move. He was just giving her false security and she knew it. This was her final plea... she was resting on his cheek, but might as well have been begging on her knees. This was her silent cry for mercy... her silent cry for him to reconsider. She knew he wasn't a monster... as sure as she began to sniff back tears she knew that Neji wasn't capable of this. He wasn't a monster.

...Neji heard her cry...

In response... the Hyuuga moved his arms forcefully down her back. With harsh gentleness his fingers put excess force as he passed over her well-toned backside and trickled down to her thighs. The action earned a trembling moan from the shaken girl. Tenten's body ceased squirming as the boy decided to focus on that area and encircle both hands firmly against her buttocks. With head down, Neji's eyes were planted squarely on the malicious deeds of his own hands. He gave Tenten's face no further attention.

"N-Neji..."

So many emotions were caked into that chilled whisper of his name... so many that Neji couldn't tell which one of those emotions were dominant. Sick anticipation, supreme heartache... latent pleasure. It didn't matter.

The entranced Hyuuga suddenly wrapped his arms snugly around the space below the bottom lobes of her backside where her thighs began. A stiff gasp sounded when she realized the base of her feet were now about an inch off the damp floor. Her arms still around his neck, Tenten suddenly loosened her clench. Her invisible tears ran dry as her sniffing stopped. She didn't know how she felt about this... Being raised up above the earth always made her feel good. Up until now she soared into the air just fine by herself... But now Neji was lifting her up. It made her feel warm on the inside... in spite of everything... it was kind of romantic...

She gradually closed her eyes when she felt his warm tongue slowly paint saliva along her exposed neck. She weakly took a deep breath when his lips closed around her flesh... an even weaker sigh followed as he gently pulled away from the skin of her neck to complete the suckle. He was making this last so long... Tenten felt as though she was being lulled to sleep by his pace. As he continued to tease her neck with his tongue the Hyuuga began to walk a few steps forward while still holding her up in the air. The movement made Tenten tighten the hold about his neck once more, preparing herself for anything. He propped her up on the nearest, shortest barrel he could find. His arms moved up against her back once more. He stroked her back up and down with penetrating strokes. And suddenly... the black flames roared. The roar of the twisted fire could be heard throughout the storage room... its peaking fury could be seen in his eyes... its power Tenten could feel in her skin. The stroking was harsh and ugly. The lashes of his tongue against her now beet-red neck became vicious and painful. She scrunched up her eyes as she lay frozen against his cheek, vomiting a multitude of hushed wails and sharp gasps. A few grunts and pants proceeded from the Hyuuga while he ceased his attack and was left catching his breath while resting his forehead against her neck. His hands eagerly ran down her back and made her way down the slope of her waist. They passed over her hips with haste and indulged themselves upon her thighs. Tenten began to quickly run her hand through his raven-black mane on raw instinct, like one would attempt to nervously pet a growling dog in order to calm it down. The hands made their way down her thighs and rested impatiently on her kneecaps. Tenten got the message. She hesitantly, but willingly opened her legs to the man before her. He moved quicker then she could prepare for. He began to tenderize her thighs with his hands all over again. She trembled noticeably when Neji began to dangerously caress her inner thighs. Back and forth he moved against them. Tenten scrunched up her mouth as well as her eyes so that she wouldn't make a sound. She was horrified of what might happened if she made too much noise. Neji suddenly pulled his face away from her, refusing to provide comfort for her head any longer.. She raised her head and slowly opened her eyes to his murderous lavenders once more. He kissed her. His hands shot back up to her hips as he pulled her body closer to the edge of her perch on the barrel. She was sitting on her thighs before, but now she was merely sitting on her backside. Her thighs found themselves dangling off the side of the barrel. The position gave Neji more access to his girlfriend, as he was now directly between her legs. He found his hands circling the border of her green pants. He place his thumbs inside the border of those pants. He could feel the cotton material that presumably made up her panties... Neji's eyes sharpened. He prepared to push his thumbs further down her green pants to bring validity to his presumption. This time Tenten wasn't thinking as clearly. In the heat of the fast-paced momentum she began to try to resist physically. She took her hands from around her neck and attempted to knock away his hands. She realized how big of a mistake she made while she was doing it, but instinct and emotions wouldn't let her stop. Neji grabbed her hands and threw them away from him. He grabbed hold of her hips once more and lifted her from the barrel. He held her up in the air by her hips, the whole time staring into her troubled and idiotically defiant gaze. He began moving forward with her still in his grasp. The cold stare Neji gave her kept her from resisting any further. The pace of his steps increased as he took her further away from the storage rom door where her perching barrel sat and closer to the opposite side of the room.

Never had she made such a deeper and guttural groan... not even when sustaining injuries from the countless missions she undertook. The gruesome 'thud' that sounded from Tenten's back splashing hard against the concrete wall was loud enough to not only wake the dead but to make them feel sympathy for her. The impact was unreal. It sent her neck flying back, flinging the back of her head against the wall as well. In Tenten's vision... it appeared the world stopped when she felt a life-bending pain shoot into her spine. The image of Neji holding her up and rushing her backward was freeze-framed in her sight. It wouldn't leave the front of her eyes. It stayed there as though she was beholding a picture. Then... the still image of Neji began to bleed a deep crimson and moved slowly. All she could see was a slow-moving red with dots of yellow at the top. She, however, could feel what was happening in the real world. She felt Neji's lips press against her own as his body pinned her against the wall. The caress of his hand against her drowsy body was such a sharp contrast to the pain she felt from the impact that it actually hurt her further. Soon, her eyes came back into focus. The room stopped moving first. Then, the redness cleared up. And finally, the dots disappeared. She saw Neji again, hungrily going about his business. Her vision was clear, but she still wasn't quite coherent. In the midst of her dizziness she proceeded to fight Neji further. Her fight was even more physical this time around, attempting to push him away with heavy hands. Neji grabbed hold of her hands eventually... at which point Tenten tried to put some distance between them with a kick. Neji held on to her hands and allowed her right foot to be placed squarely on his chest. His eyes narrowed. He balled up his fist... and threw the punch. Tenten closed her eyes and heard the impact of her boyfriend's mighty fist... as it landed centimeters away from her right ear and into the concrete wall. Neji was too much of a skilled combatant to miss a dizzy target when it was right in front of him. The fearsome strike, which sent a boom throughout the room, was merely a warning to the fool. Tenten allowed her feet to fall back to the floor and her hands to hit her sides. Her body went white with shock and weak with grief. The dizzy spell was ending. She leaned her back up against the wall... waiting for Neji to finish up with her.

As Neji looked at the tired and spent beauty before his eyes... a strand of pity in his head began to nag him. He decided that he wouldn't torture her any further by taking things slowly. He would end this quickly.

He moved close to Tenten once more. Without looking at her or embracing her with a kiss, he immediately grabbed hold of her shirt. He was tired of fiddling around with those damned metal trinkets that kept the contents of her vest closed off to him. He decided he would deal with it later... but for now.

Tenten barely budged an inch as she seemed only half-interested in the fact that Neji now had his left hand up her shirt. She winced slightly when he began to fondle and press that hand against her right breast. She stared up into space with red eyes... lost in her own thoughts. The bottom halves of her eyes continued to observe her pink vest being stretched out of shape by his hand. Tears began to stream down her face for the umpteenth time today. He was hurting her. He wasn't touching her slowly like before. He was hurting her... A weak and broken moan leaked from her lips when she felt a slight pinch on her right ear lobe. For a moment it had seemed sound had been banished from the room once more... apart from the sound of his tongue bashing into her ear lobe and the gnawing grunts that proceeded as he began to bite down on it... As she stood before her boyfriend, pressed so helplessly against a wall, with no one to help her... she felt something. Rather... she 'realized' something. She just realized she had been feeling it all along, but between all the fear and the grief and the confusion it was... well hidden. The ironic thing is she was trying to feel it since Neji began to assault her... and yet the fact that she now felt it so strong inside her she was actually disgusted with herself. It was a grotesque and thick warmth oozing all over her body...

A sudden gush of tears and a pain-filled gasp sounded as Neji wrapped her left leg around himself and pushed violently into her.

She wasn't supposed to... but she felt it. The feeling of being man-handled and over-powered by him... the complete loss of control over herself... the shocking pain of her slim form being thrown around and pressed against by his tight and muscular form... the excuse to lose all inhibitions...

On instinct she began to grind herself against him in response to the thrust... but it wasn't instinct that made her suddenly tug down on Neji's hair with her left hand... it wasn't instinct that sent her rocketing the moment he raised his head to look at her and see what possessed her to pull his hair. Neji broke HER kiss out of bewilderment and thrust harder into her. Her moans became sobs as she continued to cry.

As Neji continued to thrust into her, that warmth continued to ooze from her like the tears from her eyes... the sobs soon stopped and became high-pitched moans and gasps all over again... she couldn't deny it any longer... the heat wouldn't be denied... it had to be obvious to Neji by now... that she was actually enjoying this...

Neji's pace began to slow down as he looked at Tenten. Her hair, though still in buns, was now frizzy and stringy like a tumbleweed. Her tears had dried up, and a smug frown weighed down her face.. Her eyes didn't match the frown at all. They seemed lively and bashful... as though she was ashamed. As he stopped thrusting against her, he felt the leg that was wrapped around his waist slither slowly against his body. Tenten began to push herself to a higher elevation against the wall. She wrapped the other leg around him and locked both ankles around his waist. Displaying the degree of her physical fitness, Tenten tightened her thighs around him and pulled him just about as close to her as he could be without taking his clothes off. The pull was so tight and sudden that Neji wasn't quite prepared for it and almost lost his footing... but he had Tenten's waiting bod to break his fall.. Tenten was one tone away from screaming as she was treated to the full extent of Neji 'desire', not taking into account that such a thrust would hurt like hell when still adorned in the rough fabric of both of their pants. She hissed loudly through her teeth when the initial shriek came to an end. In nervous and insatiable haste she rummaged her hands through his hair as she stared distantly into him. She never knew pain could feel so good. Neji, hand still up her pink vest, began to fondle rapidly as he stared back coldly. She exhaled heartily and closed her eyes to take in... everything.

The genius of Konoha now had a job on his hands. He liked that he would experience less resistance from her now that she was cooperating... however... if he was too lenient with her she might attempt to take control. The he couldn't allow... he was in control of this, and no one else.

Neji soon pulled his left hand from beneath her vest. He brought both of his hands to the sides of his head so he could take claim of her hands which were now lost deep in his locks. He grabbed hold of her wrists and sent her hands slamming against the wall, causing yet another pleasure-tainted squeal from his comrade. He stretched out her own hands above her head against the wall, crucifix-style. As Neji leaned closer to her in order to keep her hands pinned against the wall, Tenten had a perfect opportunity to taste his lips once more... which she capitalized on. When Neji pulled away from the kiss Tenten shot out her torso to purse his lips only to be held back by the limited movement his hand-pinning allowed her, like a dog yanked back by a steel chain around his neck. The whole thing was beginning to get a bit creepy to the Hyuuga. She had a heart-wrenching frown on her face as she did all of this... Waiting for Neji to make his next move she sufficed to continue gyrating her hips into his own...

Her body's movements actually helped him think clearer. Neji had an idea that would benefit both of them... He released her wrists. Tenten allowed her arms to wrap around his neck, as she found they were most comfortable there. He began to unwrap his hand bandages... the hand bandages that covered the palm of the hand he practiced Jyuuken strikes with the most.

Tenten closed her eyes and exhaled deeply. She couldn't believe she didn't think of this earlier. The liquid fire... it nearly drove her out of control when they were in a relaxed situation in a public place... Now they were in a very unrelaxed situation in a private place... She could hardly prepare her mind for how good this was going to feel.

She opened her eyes impatiently and saw that he wasn't quite moving fast enough. Not fast enough for her... she unwrapped one of her hands from his neck and moved down to help him remove his bandages... Neji smacked her hand away and shot her a glare that made her immediately place her arm around his neck again. He kept the glare on her for a moment before turning to continue to unwrap the bandage.

His hand was free from its bandages and took the cold air into its pores. The loosened bandage tape draped down his arm as the bandage wholly remained on his forearm by a few strands he kept wrapped. Neji held out his open and naked palm to her.

Tenten didn't need instructions on what to do next. She let her arm fall from his neck once more and pressed her palm against his. A sudden moan sounded before she even made contact. Neji overlapped her knuckles by bringing his fingers down over them in an incomplete finger link. Neji watched as Tenten's mouth opened widely with no sound spilling out of it. A broken and weak exhalation of air came after about 5 seconds. The liquid fire was taking effect. He immediately slammed the hand he held against the wall once more and sharpened his eyes as he forced a rather generous helping of chakra into his palms.

Tenten's body went into a sharp spasm that caused her back to arch and her stomach to shoot out against Neji's chest. A gargantuan moan bellowed from the deep places of her lungs. Neji immediately covered her mouth with his free hand to silence her. Her body stayed in that arch, jolting violently when Neji pumped another flow of chakra into her through his palms. She began to lick and kiss against the hand that covered her mouth in between her noises.

The feeling was unbearably good... absolutely, intolerably, unnecessarily good. It was a whole different universe of pleasure then the liquid fire she felt on that night. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head for a second. She didn't even know where she was for a moment, as this liquid fire tore into her mind and relentlessly violate her. This fire didn't make love to her like the other fire did... it was rough. It brutally forced its way into the nerve-ending of her fingers and scorched everything in its path with flames that tickled and excited parts of her that she didn't even know could be tickled and excited. It raped her...It pumped tar-black love into her veins and whispered evil tidings to her lower regions... and that was before Neji actually began to push excess chakra into the finger link. What she felt when he began to flare his chakra... there were no words to describe.

Tenten tightened the hold around Neji's neck with her free arm as though she was trying to chop his neck off with sheer pressure. Her thighs tightened around him on impulse and squeezed him gruesomely. He had no choice but to stop pumping excess chakra into her. His life practically depended on it. The flow of liquid fire that he emitted naturally was enough to keep her sedated anyway. He reserved his chakra, grabbed hold of Tenten's right thigh with his free hand, and began to grind against her. She, of course, ground back. The friction of their furious pelvic thrusts and body mashing was almost enough to spark literal and physical flames. They stared into each other with a look as though they were going to eat each other alive... another kiss would do just fine for now.

------------------------------------------

The glower of a tiger and an indicative shaking of the head was the answer to all the drunkards who even dared looked at his master's son for too long. As inebriated as they were, none of them had quite enough spirits to pick a fight with a Hyuuga. No... that would take more sake shots then most people could handle before passing out. The boy Ryo, Byakugan activated, was free to search for the remaining gems in peace.

So far, he found two behind the Ramen Stand, one just before the marketplace road that led to the Hokage tower, and one by that very boring park area between the textile factory and the antique shop. He still had two more to find... and about 6 minutes left to make it back to his dad! His eye veins ached and voiced their objections by giving the child a headache... yet and still Ryo forced his Byakugan to go further then it was used to going... if he completed his mission there was a chance his father would begin to teach him how to make his enemy's heart burst into large meaty chunks with a well-placed Jyuuken strike to the chest cavity. After all, such was every 6 year old boy's dream in the Hyuuga Clan... AHA!

"Found em'! Let's go!"

Ryo kicked up dust as he ran into an alleyway. The Branch House servant decided to hop on top of the building and follow Ryo as he watched him run down belong. They continued to make their way down the alleyways until they were on the other side of the marketplace. The Branch House servant jumped from off the building and onto the open road. Ryo really had found them... The final two gems sat about a bow shot from each other just before a line of food stands in the empty road. Ryo ran up to the first one and picked it up with a smile on his face. He then ran over and picked up the very last stone.

He would have immediately ran up to the main branch house member to begin bragging, but he thought he saw something... He turned back around in front of the tiny food stand, and focused his Byakugan once more. He grit his teeth at how painful it was to keep exercising his veins, but he KNEW he saw something. It looked like two people doing... something.

Ryo walked up closer to the food stand and confirmed that it was two people and they were definitely doing something... but what? He moved up closer and gasped when he recognized who the boy was. He recognized the girl too.. She was always at the Manor, but he forgot her name... his eyes narrowed suggestively and he snickered into his hands when his dirty mind put together the pieces.

"Ryo-kun. Your training exercise is over, so we should really head back... what are you staring at?"

Ryo couldn't stop snickering. He merely pointed his finger toward the fish stand and began to laugh. The Branch House servant activated his Byakugan out of curiosity and a look of shock came form what he spotted.

"Neji-kun..."

The Branch House servant, of course, recognized the boy right away.

"Yeah, its Neji and the girl he trains with! And look at what they're doing!" Ryo spoke, still snickering.

Ryo found this hilarious, but the Branch House servant wasn't laughing... he knew something Ryo didn't know. The walls of the Hyuuga Manor are very thin... one could hear things... conversations they weren't supposed to hear... He knew Neji was in direct violation of a commandment that the Head of the Hyuuga clan put over him... disobedience from a Branch House member, especially under a direct commandment from the Head, never ended well. This was none of his business though. The Branch House servant would keep his mouth closed. He stared down at this master's son... HE would keep his mouth closed, but he could not guarantee Ryo would do the same. There was something very unsettling about all this...The Branch House servant didn't like what he sensed. He deactivated his Byakugan.

"Come, Ryo-kun... we must leave now."

"Hey!!!"

The Branch House servant took Ryo by the hand and began to do a little rooftop-hopping to speed up their departure. Ryo wrestled himself out of his grasp and began hopping from roof to roof by himself.

"Is THAT what you're supposed to do when you like a girl?" Ryo's question broke the servant out of his thoughts... and made him uncomfortable.

"Ummm... welll..."

"I like Hanabi-sama... but Hanabi-sama says I'm stupid and too young for her." Ryo began babbling. "I think I like Neko too! Do you know her? She is younger then me, but I'm not mean like Hanabi-sama and I don't care that she's younger. When I see her... I'm going to do what Neji was doing to that girl in there!"

"YOU WILL DO NO SUCH THING!" The servant exclaimed to the boy with pupil-less eyes and an enlarged head.

"Why not, Baldy-san?" Ryo questioned the servant, adding in his nickname for him. "I like Neko and that's what you do when you like a girl!"

The servant ignored the boy's name-calling and his questions. He was still thinking about what he just saw. He couldn't shake this terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach... He hoped to heaven that Ryo would not mention this to his father...

--------------------------------------------

The black flames were spread evenly between the two of them as they roared in the unseen realm, moments away from their peak. Violence, lust and sorrow mingled with each other and became an entirely new creature... this creature enwrapped them both and wouldn't let them out of its jaws. Their kissing had been reduced to face licking and tongue sucking. Both of them stared blankly like they weren't even in the same room as the other. If Tenten didn't have the painful thrusts to remind her that Neji was still here she probably wouldn't believe it.

Neji, on the other hand, was in a semi-meditative state while 'pleasuring' his girlfriend... all he could think about was his uncle... his stupid, over-achieving, 'be the best or you're not worthy to stand next to me' uncle. His eyes tightened in its frustrated fury... When he thought about it, he hated him at this very moment...

He pounded harder and harder into Tenten as the thoughts blackened his mind.

He wished that they had switched roles at this moment... he wished it was him who was 'breaking a commandment'. He wished it could be him who was the disgrace of the Hyuuga Clan. He wished that he could feel this condemnation... that he could endure the hell of his weak humanity. He wish that for one second the Hyuuga clan would catch his uncle with his pants down... that they would catch Hiashi being human to his own shame... and finally, he wished he was the Hyuuga clan leader at that moment when Hiashi was caught making a mistake...

Neji's breathing was short and filled to the brim with a hideous temper.

...he wished he could catch him so he could look him square in the eyes at that moment and tell him that he was 'disappointed' in him... he wish he could end his world with those words...

O... how he hated him...

But... it made no difference anyway. He wasn't under Hiashi's tutelage any longer. He was under no one's tutelage but his own. He would march only to his own beat... fate laid no claim on him.

He awoke from his meditation... oh... it was 'her' again... staring past him into her own thoughts he assumed. She moved in close and gave his lips a hearty lick that ended at the tip of his nose. He didn't respond at all.

They were both very unfamiliar with sex in general... but they weren't idiots. Instinct, common sense, and basic knowledge of their own bodies told them that dry-humping all night, although very satisfying, would get them nowhere. At some point they were going to have to lose some clothing to get the release they yearned for... as far as Neji was concerned, that point was now.

He patted her thighs two times with a flat palm... which she took to mean that he wanted her legs on the floor. He wrapped her arms around him again to support herself as she unwrapped her legs from about his waist. She now stood straight up before the Hyuuga once more. He took a deep breath and began to work on the gold-plates of her vest once more. Tenten watched him fumble his fingers over them for a few moments before moving her hands over them herself. She slowly opened her mouth.

"If... If you want, I can un-fasten them fo-"

"Stay still." He breathed out fire.

Tenten immediately removed her hands and scrunched up her face to fight back tears. His words were not only scary and powerful, but they were a harsh reminder that this was not a team effort at all. They weren't about to do this with each other... He was about to do this to her.

He wanted to just rip her vest open, but it wouldn't do to have her walking around the streets of Konoha with a torn top. Though not quite in his right mind, Neji reserved enough wicked logic to cover his tracks. It was bad enough he disobeyed his uncle... it would be worse for everyone, including her, if it was known he forced himself on her. He would give no one any reason to believe he did what he was about to do. He knew Tenten would tell no one... and even if she did it would be his word against hers... and he was a respected and renowned Hyuuga... his word would prevail.

He moved his hands over the bottom gold-plated trinket a few times and successfully unloosed it, revealing her extremely beautiful, tight, honey-colored belly. The trick to removing them was easier then he thought. He soon removed all of them, and Tenten stood before him... her breasts covered tightly by the same bandage material that covered his hands. He felt the material as he was groping her, but it still pissed him off to see them nonetheless. It would be unnecessarily complicated to unwrap all those bandages. It was just as well... he was getting bored with them anyway. His eyes went down to that incredibly well-toned stomach... and that tempting navel.

Before Tenten knew how to respond Neji was on his knees with his head tucked neatly into her belly. He grabbed her by her hips and swiftly tasted the inside of her navel with his tongue. As expected, a tormented exhale ensued from his girlfriend, who was still scrunching her face. Her fire grew ever wilder... Nothing Neji had done as of yet could put that fire out... it only fed into it. She ran her fingers through his hair as he continued to enjoy himself. O, how she wanted him to just put her out of her misery! She bunched up his hair without realizing it. This prompted Neji back on his feet and into her face. They kissed each other as Neji pressed his whole body against her to the point of it being suffocating. She wanted to take his shirt off, but he probably wouldn't allow it... She went to reach for it. Neji pushed her hand away as expected. He stopped kissing her for a moment and pulled his beige shirt over his head. It appeared he had a little mercy on her...wow... he had such a breathtaking body. It was thin, but that was only because he had no body fat. He was all chiseled muscles and refined sinew. He didn't give her much time to admire it though. He pressed into her again and gave her another kiss. With an open vest Tenten's naked skin could feel his tight body in a way it could not before... but it wasn't enough. She wanted to be close to him... she wanted to be as close as possible to him... she wanted him inside of her.

The thought made her body jump up to a higher temperature. This damn fire... nothing would cool it... she realized it now... Yes... she realized that nothing could cool down this fire... because it wasn't meant to be cooled down. Her whole concept of this fire was all wrong. She thought that the fire would be cooled down if Neji had her... but it was the exact opposite. This fire would only be cooled down if it burned itself out... Yes... it would just get hotter and hotter and hotter... until it exploded! THAT'S how it would cool down and leave her alone... Yes... She was sure the explosion would be tremendous and glorious.. It had to be... building up to the explosion felt incredible enough! So she could imagine how the explosion would feel... but her heart stooped with an incomprehensible sorrow that she would have to waste her first 'explosion' under these circumstances... in a fish room... **no**. Her heart wouldn't accept this. Her countenance suddenly became heavy. She began to feel very vile and sick.. Something deep inside her told her that she could not let the night end like this.. no... She still BADLY wanted Neji to be the one who would cause her first explosion, but not the way he was now... it was hard to fight a part of her... it was hard to fight her own flames... they wanted this explosion... but Tenten did not... not anymore... no... not here... not now...

no...

"Neji..."

Tenten spoke out the side of her mouth as Neji sloppily shoved his tongue inside once more. He didn't hear her.

...No...

Neji began to fondle the border of her pants again...

"Please... Neji." She spoke in between his pecks.

...NO...

He began to force her green pants down her hips... when two firm hands took hold of the borders of her pants... and surprisingly stopped him from pulling them all the way down. Neji pulled away from her mouth and looked down at her hands powerfully resisting his advance.

"Move your hands." he spoke.

"...no..."

The word that was echoing within her finally bursted forth from her throat... though it came out as weak as a mouse's whisper.

Neji's sinister eyes tightened. Trying his hardest to avoid hitting her, he forced his hands down further.

"Neji... don't do this..." Tenten's lungs were weak and exhausted from all her activity, but she still attempted to reason with him.

The two struggled with each other. It was a wonder her pants didn't tear in the midst of this strange tug-of-war is was now apart of. Tenten grunted as she used up all her energy to fight Neji. She no longer cared if he hurt her... he would have to do a lot of hurting to pull her pants down.

"You... can't... stop me!"

Neji spoke as he grunted himself from the struggle and his own exhaustion. He couldn't imagine where she suddenly got the strength to fight him like this. Still, she knew as well as he did that it was only a matter of time.

"Neji... I am begging you.. Don't do this! THIS ISN'T YOU!"

Tenten suddenly removed one hand from her pants border and grabbed his wrist. Something about the way she grabbed his wrist froze him in his place. His mind shot back to about 2 years ago... on a terrible day... he remembered every single detail... he could see it as though it was happening right now.. He could feel what he was feeling at that moment on that day... it was no longer Tenten who was holding his wrist... but it was Kakashi.. Holding him back... and instead of Tenten standing before him, begging that he didn't rape her... it was Hinata... blood streaming from her mouth... her heart ready to stop beating as she stood on her feet. He remembered the rage and lack of sympathy he felt... he...

Suddenly... Neji's breathing became heavy and erratic as though he would pass out. He blinked his eyes and was suddenly back in the fish room, his hand deep inside of his teammates pants... Tenten was too scared to be confused... but she would have wondered why Neji's eyes widened with astonishment... and why she could swear she saw a tear roll down his cheek.

Without saying a word or changing his facial expression, he pulled both hands away from her pants. Tenten quickly pulled her pants back up to her hips, quickly covering up the top portion of her cotton panties that were exposed to the outside world.

Tenten gained control of her breathing... and the deafening silence became apparent. The black flames finally cool down and lost its grip on their minds... everything was clear to both of them... EVERYTHING. They were so very close to doing something that they would have regretted for the rest of their lives. Tenten looked down at her open vest in raw shame... she began to sob as she fastened herself once more. She kept her head down for a good while and stared at Neji... he had the same facial expression as before. She wanted to speak... but they both reached a point where words were not only unnecessary... but they were useless. What could she possibly say at a time like this? What could she say to him after he was so close to...

Neji gulped down a huge lump in his throat and noticed Tenten standing there..

He remembered that he could never hurt her...

He remembered that he loved her...

And yet... he had come so close to... how could he? He never could have imagined that he was still capable of such things. Nothing made sense anymore. He closed his eyes and lowered his head and allowed his wild and mangled hair to curtain his face. What could he possibly say to her? Sorry?

Tenten stood there quiet... despite all of this... not wanting to leave his side... not wanting to start another day... not wanting to wake up to see what tomorrow would bring her.

Neji stood there because the things that happened in this fish room raised too many questions in his mind... and he didn't want to leave this room until the questions were answered. He had to think... nothing made sense...

Like his comrade, he also feared what tomorrow would bring... he feared what he would awake to if he returned to the Manor... not only would his uncle see that he was a deceiver in his corrupt lavenders... but a sexual deviant.

Neji breathed out torment when a thought scrolled across his beaten and bruised mind.

"_**The flames of youth can consume you if you're not in control of them." **_

Tenten finally began to move close to him. She went to put her hand on his shoulder... but stopped. She hated to think like this... but she was now worried about what would happen to her if he touched her so suddenly. She dismissed her foolish thoughts and cursed herself for them. Neji was NOT a monster... he stopped himself before things got really out of hand. A monster would have kept going despite her pleas.

She rested the hand on his shoulder...

Neji breathed deeply, but didn't move... she wanted to stay here... but her mom...

She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it soon after. She slowly made her way to the door, her footsteps interrupting the silence. She spotted Neji's forehead protector... she picked it up and placed it on a nearby barrel. She trusted Neji would lock the door when he was ready to leave. She left the fish room... and expelled her tears infinitely as she made her way home.

Neji fell to his knees in meditation when she left. He had to think...

How could he possibly make things right...

He had to think...

Nothing made sense anymore.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Only 6 seconds to spare..." The old Hyuuga pointed out to his son and the servant as they made their way up the hill. "Good for now, but I expect you to make it back here with at least 3 minutes to spare next time."

"Yes father!" Ryo responded with a stifled laugh, still giddy about what he saw at the marketplace.

The old Hyuuga sharpened his eyes at his son's mood, but dismissed it. Most of the time he didn't even want to know what his son was thinking anyway.

"Was he any trouble?" The Hyuuga questioned the clean-shaven servant.

"No... He was fine, Hangenhou-sama."

"Is there anything wrong?" Hangenhou asked his servant with a suspicious tone. Something didn't seem right to the old man.

"Baldy-san has been acting weird since he saw Neji and that girl he trains with being nasty in one of the food stands!" Ryo interjected with a snicker.

"_Damn." _

The servant's eyes dropped a little. Hangenhou's aged eyes plunged down to his son.

"What did you just say?!" He demanded.

Ryo was a little scared by his father's urgency.

"...We saw Neji and that girl kissing." He answered plainly.

"Is this true?" He looked back up at the servant.

"Yes it is."

Hangenhou smirked... He didn't bother chastising his servant for trying to keep it from him. The satisfaction of having information that gave them the right to put that cocky piece of Branch House trash known as Neji in his place had completely altered his mood. This was actually cause for celebration. He was too happy to chastise anyone. Besides... he could see why the servant would try to protect the 'savior' of his social class.

"So... you can confirm that you definitely saw Neji kissing this Tenten child against Hiashi-sama's wishes?"

Once again, the walls of the Hyuuga manor are very thin... That breakfast conversation with Hiashi and his nephew was common knowledge.

"Yes...yes I can." The servant answered with stung pride.

Excellent. All they needed was two witnesses...

"Was kissing the only thing they were doing?"

The servant hesitated.

"Let me remind you boy... Your allegiance belongs to our clan. It is against our laws to be anything but truthful in these matters... the consequences of deviating from these laws are heavy."

Hangenhou threatened with all the obvious subtlety of a true politician. The two other Branch House members looked at their brother with shame... not shame at him... but shame at the fact that they couldn't do a thing to help him.

"They..." The servant looked at Ryo. Hangenhou understood.

"You two... take my son back to the Manor."

The Branch House servants bowed and gave their brother one last look of shame. Ryo looked back at his father and Baldy-san with a confused frown. All three of them soon left view.

"They were mainly kissing heavily and touching each other... 'foreplay', for lack of a better word. But I think they both had their pants on."

"You think?!? Can you CONFIRM, without a shadow of a doubt, that Neji and the girl definitely both had their clothing on?!" Hangenhou badgered without mercy.

"No... I cannot. I did not get a good look at them."

"I see."

The old Hyuuga spoke with a grin. He turned his back to the servant and began to walk back to the manor with his hands placed behind his back.

"Come, servant... we must get a good night sleep and prepare for tomorrow... There is so much to do."

The Branch House servant didn't say a word. He followed behind his master with his head down like a broken dog. He knew he had a terrible feeling...

_**The flames of youth will consume you...**_

Yes...The walls of the Hyuuga Manor are very thin indeed...

-----------------

a/c- There you have it... Definitely the longest and hardest chapter I wrote thus far.

Also, don't expect the next updates to take a month like this one. SORRY about that! Had some real-life stuff to take care of... forgive me.

Now before you all start sending me angry reviews and responses shouting that 'OMG, OOC!!! Neji is not a rapist n00b', think about what we know Neji has done so far. He basically attempted to torture his own cousin to death and would have been successful if not restrained. Now think about why he did that... He didn't do it because he was mad at Hinata... he did it because he was angry with his fate. NOW... Neji was a second away from raping Tenten... because he was angry with his fate. It's the exact same thing, only instead of violence he was using sex as his murder weapon. It appears Neji still has some inner demons to fight... Its also interesting to note that most rapist, on a psychological level, start abusing women because they have issues with 'control', not because they're just really horny. So yeah... I welcome negative criticism, but just don't let that neg criticism be that Neji was OOC for the attempted rape... cause' you'll be wrong.

Also, to answer a question I received in the review section... yes. Tenten is a VERY late bloomer. According to my understanding some girls don't get their periods until they are 16!... though it is very rare. But its not a Narutoverse thing. In this fic Temari, Hinata, Ino and Sakura already went through their 'Spring Time of Youth' in that respect, so do not expect any awkward period scenes from them. lol


	25. Chapter 24

"I warned you all once, and I will not warn you again... STOP CLOWNING AROUND!"

The exigent woman spoke sharply in the spirit of a dominatrix. She adjusted her eyeglasses as her classroom full of noisy gorillas that could technically be called adults sighed and "psshaa'd" her demands away. A few of them even laughed.

"I am not kidding anymore! How do you expect this curriculum to be taken seriously by the warmongers who sit on the council if you can't even sit through a 2-hour lecture without behaving like animals?!? It is no wonder why we are the laughing stock of Sand!!!"

The roaring and the raving of the classroom suddenly phased out at those words. Their instructors truthful observation cut them at their hearts.

"Yeah... that's right. I hope my words have made you angry..." The instructor exposed a shark's grin. "Anger is a good thing in this situation. It is anger that is going to give you the passion you need to make an impact on this world! PASSION! That is the only that thing the people of Sand will respond to! So when you all graduate from this curriculum and become the harbingers of peace I know you were all born to be... Remember that all of Sand village is laughing at you... AND BE ANGRY ABOUT IT! POSSESS ANGER, PASSION, AND BLINDING FFFFURRRYYY!!!! LET THEM BE HEARD IN YOUR VOICES WHEN YOU SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE SENSELESS WARS!!! LET THEM ALL FEEL YOUR PASSION UNTIL THE CRY FOR PEACE AMONGST THE VILLAGES IS HEARD THROUGHOUT THE WORLD!!! **AHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!!!!!" **

The classroom was with her for a moment... but their 'passion' was cut short when their instructor suddenly hopped on top of her desk and began laughing fiendishly with a clenched and raised fist. A wad of sweat ran down Temari's neck as she could have sworn that this lady was the long-lost mother of that silly Leaf genin with the creepy eyebrows.

"_Hmph. Leaf..." _

Temari placed her free hand on her cheek as she fancifully continued to draw strange shapes into her paper with her tiny calligraphy brush. She was broken out of her distracting thoughts by her instructor's fiery speech for a moment... but now she would go back to being totally distracted.

"_Its been about 1 month since I've visited. I know those kids must be driving the bastard up the wall by now! He knows he needs me... I should just wait until he sends me a letter saying he needs me to help with the kids... Torture him a little longer." _

A smile came to her face accompanied by a low giggle that she just couldn't hold back.

"_I bet he's probably wondering when I will show up again right now... Tch, he is so damn stubborn and pig-headed! He refuses to admit that he needs help from a woman... but he'll admit it when it comes to me. I'll make sure of it." _

With no signs of hesitation or change in thought, Temari's shape drawing became actual word writing against the blank scroll paper. She placed one ankle over the other beneath her desk.

"_... But I do wonder how the children are progressing... That Moegi tart definitely could have used some help on her bushin technique... and I know that lazy idiot isn't raising a finger to help any of them!..hmmm" _

Her word writing went from being scribbles to definitive thought, putting actual effort in her Kanji symbols.

"_I guess I'll head out for Leaf next week... I'll be the bigger person and just give him what he needs. The kids shouldn't have to suffer just because HE'S a sexist bonehead... If I leave on Monday, take that barren road I found and only take about... 5 separate 2-hour rests, I should be able to make it there in less then 3 days... But maybe I'll stay there for a week or so this time... stay in an inn... all this back-and-forth traveling is becoming too troubl-... **bothersome**... Yeah... I'll be headed out on Monday, if nothing gets in the way... besides..." _

Temari's smile grew wider as she stopped writing.

"_I know he misses me..." _

"Is Shinkirou Temari present?"

The Sand Princess raised her head to the entrance door of the classroom in response to the hoarse cry of her full name. It was a jounin in the usual Sunagakure uniform.

"She is." Temari called back before her instructor could account for her.

"The heads of the board of education request your presence immediately." The jounin spoke.

A few 'ooohhhh's' sounded from the more immature classmates, which Temari ignored. Bunch of assholes... The instructor, still standing on her desk, stared at the jounin with fiery eyes.

"My student will go with you, but you tell those pompous fatheads sitting on the board not to interrupt my heated lectures anymore or THEY WILL BE HEARING FROM ME!!!"

"Sure. Whatever." The board of education warned the jounin about this instructor.

Temari stood up from her desk and walked out of the classroom. She left the paper she was writing on behind... The word 'CRY-BABY' was written in Kanji symbols.

_----------------------------------------------------- _

A sudden wisp of grey smoke danced into the clear blue sky as the flaming head of the cigarette was crushed against the building wall. It was the 3rd one the chain-smoking jounin had went through today. He leaned his back against the wall and sighed as a bunch of children ran by his post down the house district road... it appeared they were playing 'Ninja'. That brought back memories... he had no idea that kids still played that game. He, Kakashi, Gai and Obito practically invented that game when they were academy students. Nice to see its legacy weathered the storms of time...

"_Heh... its ironic that now that I am a full-fledged shinobi I wish I was still just a kid playing Ninja... because that game is much more exciting and eventful then this lame mission." _

Asuma was never one to complain about the missions that the Fifth gave him. After all, they were paying the bills and he would be setting a bad example to his sloppy and lax team if he called a mission 'lame' to Tsuande's face... but then again he had never been given such a feeble mission since Team 10 had first been formed. All three of his pupils were completely over-qualified for the job and he really could have appointed the entire mission to be completed by **one **of them. And to think, he could have been spending some much needed alone-time with... He reached for another cigarette, but changed his mind. He decided to stop mentally cursing his luck and to check up on the status of his team. Asuma lowered his head into the popped-collar of the brown trench coat that was his disguise, and adjusted the frequency of his radio gear.

"Shikamaru... am I coming in clear?"

Asuma whispered. There was no response.

"Shikamaru? Shikamaru, do you read me?!?"

"**_Yeah... I hear ya." _**A digitized voice jumped into Asuma's earphone.

"I have yet to spot our target from my current position. What is your status?... Shikamaru, what is your status?!??!" Asuma asked again with impatience, trying so hard not to allow his mood to attack the chuunin.

"**_I don't see anything on my end either, alright! Geez... This whole thing is so damn troublesome. Doesn't that old hag know that missions like these are best left for amateurs?" _**

It seemed that the Late Third's son wasn't the only one who was aggravated by this mission. It was strange... Shikamaru usually preferred the lower-ranked missions. He considered it a quick way to make a few bucks with minimal effort.

Asuma sighed, and decided to light another cigarette after all.

"Shikamaru... as a chuunin I realize you are no longer obligated to do missions with the rest of us. I thank you for choosing to stick with your team even though you don't have to. However, if you're going to have an attitude and delay your response to your sensei when he is trying to make contact with you... then I really don't need you. You are free to leave this mission if you want."

Shikamaru, from his position on top a large rooftop in the marketplace, dropped his head and closed his eyes. He exhaled deeply, and spoke into the microphone.

"No... Sorry about that, sensei. Just got a lot on my mind right now, so I'm a little distracted."

"**_I have a few things on my mind too... but remember the important thing right now is completing this D-rank mission as soon as possible. You'll have plenty of time to sort out your thoughts after that." _**Shikamaru heard his sensei's voice clearly from his end.

"Yeah..." Shikamaru responded.

"_Come on, Shikamaru... pull it together. Don't you know that this is exactly what she wants? She wants you to miss her. She wants you to regret that you said what you said... Well, there is nothing to regret. That troublesome brat started it. She's always starting with me... I can see right through her though... she's just like my mom. She wants to castrate me by being stubborn and pretending that she doesn't have to come around anymore... Heh, she thinks I NEED her help with the kids... I can handle those pain in the ass kids just fine all by myself! Tch, she is cocky to the point of being delusional."_

Shikamaru peered down below his vantage point, watching the busy marketplace move along at its busied pace.

"_... Cute... but definitely delusional." _

Taking in another deep breath, the chuunin sat down on the rooftop, elbows resting against his knees and his knees at a level position with his chest. He suddenly got in his 'strategy pose', pressing his thumbs and fingers against each other with his conjoined fingers pointing downward.

"_... Neko keeps asking me about her. She really does miss her... and if she's never around it will be harder to keep this 'we are married' fantasy going._ _Neko will start to get suspicious. If she finds out it was a trick, SHE'LL find out that she found out, which will be even more troublesome for me. That's not even to mention the crying and the shouting I will have to endure from Neko's huge mouth... hmmm... she misses her a lot. Either way, It isn't fair to Neko... Maybe I should have her write the brat a letter about how much she misses her. Yeah... that's what I'll do... She'll come back then." _

Shikamaru closed his eyes and smirked, leaving his strategy pose.

"_So, its settled then. No more reason to think about her... She probably cut up that blue flower by now and started studying it... I wonder if that's how botany works... whatever. Not important." _

"Chouji, what is your current status?" Shikamaru spoke into the microphone, his anxiousness to distract his own mind from his thoughts apparent by his hasty tone.

"**_Our target hasn't shown up from our position either." _**A hearty female's voice, certainly not Chouji's, responded along with the noise-soaked fuzz that accompanies radio transmissions.

"**_OUR position?!??! Ino, you are supposed to be at your own position! Why are you with Chouji?!?" _**Asuma exclaimed over the team's frequency in an excited whisper.

"**_Because that purse-snatching shoplifter never strikes at the location you gave me! The reports show that he usually works around the areas you gave Shikamaru and Chouji to watch over. Besides... We will look less suspicious if we pretend to be a couple!" _**Ino explained with confidence. Chouji, as expected, remained silent.

"**_No. Forget it... You and Chouji have probably been goofing off this whole time! Our target could have passed by you both 5 times over without either of you noticing! Ino, get to the position that I assigned you ASAP!!!" _**Asuma was quite annoyed with the fact that Ino actually tried to explain herself instead of apologizing and obeying him.

"**_But WHY? We were REALLY WORKING!" _**The kunoichi's powerful whine blasted through the radio waves with tremendous feedback that prompted Asuma and Shikamaru to turn their radio equipment from there ears for a moment.

"**_I said NO!" _**Asuma replied

"_Tch... so noisy." _Shikamaru turned the dial of his radio equipment down about 3 more notches to lower the volume of the argument on his end. He lied down flat on his back and stared into the blue high above his head. Barely any clouds in the sky today... _"It really was a cool-looking flower..." _

"**_Sensei, we weren't goofing off! Can't she just stay?" _**Chouji finally chimed in.

"**_Listen carefully, both of you... If you don't do what I told you to do right now, not only will I make you pay for every single meal I have ever bought either of you, but the workload of your training sessions will be doubled for an entire month! Understand?!??!.. CLICK ... Ino? Chouji? Respond!" _**

Ino moved close to Chouji to shut off his radio gear as well.

"Blah Blah Blah. I never knew sensei could be such a wind bag!"

The blonde said sharply and irritably. The Konoha radio gear looked a lot like a choker, so the Yamanka figured that any onlookers who got a glance of it would think it was just that. Chouji, who sat by Ino on a stool at some random food stand, had his white scarf to cover his radio. Ino was treated to a surprised and slightly worried stare from her hefty teammate when she turned her head to him. A smug grin was her response.

"Don't worry. Asuma sensei was just bluffing! He'll cool off when this is all over. This mission is a total-cakewalk. There was no need to go into different positions in the first place."

"I don't know..." Chouji voiced his skepticism. "He sounded pretty serious to me."

"Trust me big guy, we'll be fine. He's trying to play the part of the big responsible leader, but he knows as well as we do that finding and capturing a common thief is nothing to go 'professional' over. Our target will show up soon enough." Ino explained before turning her head away from Chouji and staring down the marketplace road.

"If you say so.." Chouji said with a sigh.

Chouji looked down at his feet, and back at Ino who still had his head turned from him. Awkward silence ensued. The irony of the situation was that by all means they should have been goofing off just like their sensei assumed they were.. But they weren't. He really didn't know what was wrong with her.. She went through all that trouble with Asuma sesnei to be around him, and yet she had been acting like she didn't know him for the better part of the day... He asked her several times what was wrong. The first time she said 'NOTHING' with a dagger-sharp attitude. The second time she said 'NOTHING, alright?!?" with an even sharper dagger. The third time she gave no answer apart from a hardened glare. The fourth and final time she actually smiled with dark intent in his face and said 'Think about it'... He had been thinking about it since then, but came up blank. He decided to drop the whole thing. He looked down at his feet for a moment before swinging around in his stool to face the stand.

"I'll have a bag of spicy nachos, please."

The clerk handed Chouji a red bag with a picture of jalapeno peppers on the front, which he promptly opened. He chomped down on his afternoon snack while he swung back around so he was facing away from the stand. He looked at Ino again. Her head was turned slightly toward him for a moment, but she swiftly turned her head back toward the road when she realized he was trying to look her way. She crossed her arms as well. Though not understanding her problem, Chouji naturally felt responsible for solving it. He stared into his bag of nachos when a brilliant plan for reconciliation came to him.

"... Ummm... want some?" Chouji held out the bag in her direction.

Ino shot her fat comrade a vicious glower while raising an eyebrow to him. Slowly Chouji pulled the bag back to himself. So much for the brilliant plan...

"Oh, sorry... I forgot that you were still on that diet... I can get you a carrot from one of the other stands, or something..."

Ino's face was frozen in all its glorious condescension.

"...D-Do you want a carrot?"

"You haven't figured it out yet, have you?" Ino cut straight to the point.

Chouji put his head down and quickly mustered all the brain power he could in the time Ino's mood allotted him.

"Is this about me going right back to eating normal foods after dieting for a day?"

Ino sighed and rolled her eyes at his cluelessness.

"Because you said that you wouldn't get mad if I only did the bare minium and went back to eating my usual food at midnight!" Chouji spoke with a self-righteous attitude, 100 percent sure that this was what was irking his love interest.

"Its been a month, Chouji" Ino gave up on leaving it to him to figure it out.

"Its been a month since what?" Chouji raised an eyebrow.

"Starting today it has been a full month since we had that chat outside your house, and you still haven't taken me out on a date!"

"_OOOOHHHH!!!! THAT!!!"_ Chouji thought.

"Oh... that." Chouji spoke.

There was silence between them for a moment. Chouji suddenly began cramming the cheesy tortilla chips in his mouth at an alarming rate. Ino stared at Chouji with curious blue eyes, and Chouji tried his best to stare into the bag of nachos.

"Well???" Ino spoke.

"Yeah..." Chouji chewed and gulped another handful down between his words, attempting to pacify his nerves. "About that..."

"I'm listening."

"Weeelll..." Chouji stopped chomping down his snack for a moment, realizing it would do him no good. He scratched the back of his head.

"Don't tell me your still embarrassed about what happened..."

"No, that's not it...I..." He figured he might as well let the cat out of the bag. "I was saving up all my money to take you to some place really special, and not just another restaurant!"

Ino's face dropped. Wow. There were so many things about Chouji's plan that made her heart sail that she didn't even know where to begin. Not only did he turn down a chance to stuff his face in a restaurant to match her preferences... Not only did he think enough of her to do something 'special'... but a MONTH of saving up? Between the 'generous' weekly allowance he received from the head of a prestigious ninja clan AND the money he made from completing 5 missions with his team, A month's worth of money was nothing to sneeze at.

"I wanted to keep it a secret..."

"Well..." The blonde eventually collected herself and moved a suggestive finger over the blade of his shoulder. She swung around in her stool so that her body was facing his. Her eyes narrowed. "That changes everything completely... Where are we going?"

"That's the problem... I have been looking for different places we can go, but Konoha has more restaurants then I thought. That's all they have around here! There really isn't too much we can do." Chouji spoke in defeat.

"Hmmm..." Ino brought her finger from his shoulder and tapped it against her chin. She suddenly walked across the road and over to a bunch of fliers stapled to wooden pole. "Have you tried looking for places we can go outside of Konoha?"

"Well, no..." Chouji didn't even consider leaving the village.

Ino's eyes skimmed over the pieces of white paper that advertised various occasions. Considering this was a shinobi village, most of the fliers consisted of different mission briefings and meetings for certain jounin. There were a few ads for sales and discounts at the local clothing stores, but Ino had been shopping at those same crummy stores time and time again. She wanted to do something different... she spied a bulletin board against a stand with even more fliers. She made her way over there. Aha... these were events taking place in all of Fire Country and were not confined to Konoha. It only took her 6 seconds to find exactly what she was looking for. She eyeballed the words on the paper briefly before her mouth hung low and pooled with saliva. Her eyes glimmered with a diamond's radiance.

"_If we go here we will have to hold off our date even longer... but, boy, would it be worth it!"_

She tore the flier from the bulletin board, and walked up to Chouji with an ear-to-ear grin and the paper dangling behind her back.

"-Oh Choujjjiiii-!" Ino sung his name breezily. "THIS is where you will be taking me!"

Ino thrust the paper into his face. He ate a few more nachos before reading.

"The Blue Dusk Carnival??" Chouji read the emboldened words of the flier in the form of a question.

"Yep!" Ino pulled the flier out of his face. "The flier says that it is a HUGE yearly festival that last an entire week and is held just a few miles from Konoha! They have rides, games, **shopping**" she said sharply. "Different shows at different times, it will be great!"

Chouji took the paper from Ino's grasp and studied it further.

"This carnival is gonna be set up in an area about 5 hours away from Konoha on foot!" Chouji exclaimed.

"And?" Ino shot back.

"That's... kinda far, Ino. What if a mission comes up at the last mission?"

Ino sighed and snatched the flier back.

"It also says that there will be restaurants that carry food from all over the 5 countr-."

"Were going."

Ino smiled. Chouji grinned back.

"...How much is admissions?"

"W-what was that?" Ino said quickly with a look of feigned confusion. Chouji sharpened his beady eyes.

"I SAID how much is admissions?"

"You know, we should definitely get back to work now. It's already been decided were going, so there's nothign left to talk about!"

Chouji snatched the paper from the sly blonde's grasp. She wasn't going to charm her way out of this one. He studied the paper over ad over again.

"Were the hell is the fee? I can't find it here." Chouji squinted his eyes into the paper filled with large and emboldened ink on all the events of 'Blue Dusk'.

Ino finally sighed in defeat, and pointed to the tiny words at the very bottom of the page. Chouji almost fell out of his stool as his eyes bugged out.

"I-I CAN'T AFFORD THIS!!! I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I CAN AFFORD ONE TICKET TO THIS PLACE!!!" He exclaimed with an enlarged head and a whiny tone, begging for Ino's pity.

"Relax! The carnival isn't actually going to be set up for another 3 weeks. You'll have enough money by then."

Ino stood over her sitting teammate, practically between his legs with both hands planted firmly on either of his knees.

"I don't know about this... Maybe we can-"

Chouji stopped mid-sentence when he felt the natural warmth of Ino's backside as it was plopped firmly against his right thigh. He began to sweat when she threw both of her thin arms around his stubby neck. He shoved a heap of nachos into his mouth and gulped down without chewing when she gave him the most passion-drenched gaze he had ever seen.

"Go on... I'm listening." she spoke as though nothing had changed.

"...I-I was saying maybe we can just go back to that new restaurant again. W-we wouldn't have to wait 3 weeks, and-"

"You know, I think I will have one of those nachos after all."

The kunoichi scooted even further up his thigh as she reached into the red bag with her left hand. Her eyes never left his as she plucked out a tortilla chip and placed it on her exposed tongue. She slowly brought the nacho, held onto by the muscles of her tongue, into her gaping mouth. She chewed slowly.

"Mmm... hotter then I expected..." Ino purred. "...Aren't these chips **hot**... Chouji?"

"Y-yes... there pretty hot." His voice rippled from high pitched to low, as though the blonde's actions had shot him straight through puberty.

"...Oh, sorry... I'm interrupting you, aren't I? Finish saying what you were saying."

"... I was saying, if we just go to that new restaurant... We... can..."

Chouji trailed off completely. He could feel a thin stream of blood run down his nose as his eyes zoomed in on Ino's tender lips... as they sucked the nacho cheese residue that was left on her fingertips.

"Mmmmm..."

She started off with her pinky, swirling it inside her mouth in slow motion as she finally released it with a tiny smack from her lips. Chouji's eyes followed her wet pinky before she slowly brought her hand to her mouth again. She stuck out her ring finger and soon parted her lips once more. To Chouji, the opening of that beautiful mouth was the same as opening the very gates of heaven... The moist, juicy, naughty gates of heaven. She proceeded to suck her ring finger, taking her time to make sure not a speck of the residue remained on her fingertips. Her eyes were closed as she teased him, giving Chouji the perfect opportunity to wipe his bleeding nose without her noticing. She did the same thing with her middle finger.

"Mmm?" Ino moaned as though it were a question. She opened her eyes and released her middle finger from the suckle of her mouth. "Everything okay, big guy?"

"Y-y-yeah..." Sweat rained down the back of his neck.

"Hmmm..." Ino began to examine the remaining residue on her index finger. "I don't think I can eat another bite..."

Chouji's eyes widened as she stuck out the finger in front of his mouth.

"You can have the rest."

No way... she couldn't really mean...

"Don't you want the rest??" She brought the finger closer to his mouth.

The chubby genin couldn't believe this. No way this was really happening... She couldn't really mean what he KNEW she meant! Not right here... not in front of all these people. His breathing became heavier then heavy. He SO wanted to take that delicious nacho-flavored finger into his mouth... to suck on it like so many lollipops... but what if she was just joking? Chouji glanced up childishly into her eyes... they were set like stones. She was serious... But how could he do that in front of everyone? He fought back his nerves... It was time to be a man. He slowly began to open his trembling mouth. This was the final frontier.

"Thhhaatt's a good boy..." Ino spoke demonically. "Just a litttllleee widderr..."

When Chouji felt his heart pulsing outside of his chest, ready to burst... When he saw the wildness in her topaz eyes... When he felt his bladder suddenly bubble beneath his shorts... he realized something... he was no man. His nerves got the better of him. He shut his mouth and bowed his head. He probably would have screwed the whole thing up anyway. He was terrified.

"Hmm? Don't want any?... Suit yourself." She said simply, before bringing her index finger into her mouth, and sucking on it... hard and fast.

"_Phew" _Were Chouji's only thoughts.

Before Chouji could physically catch his breath, Ino moved yet further up his thigh. After her finger sucking was over, she began to lightly trace the swirls in his cheek with her finger. Her other arm remain hooked around his neck.

"I really shouldn't have eaten that chip. All that starch and saturated fat... its just going to go straight to my thighs."

Just in case Chouji didn't know where her thighs were located, she took her finger off his face and moved her hand just above her left knee. Chouji watched, beyond speechless, as she slowly stroked her own thigh.

"But then again... I do a lot of things that I shouldn't do... Things that I said I wouldn't do." She narrowed her eyes. "In fact... when I get in a certain mood... I'll do just about anything."

Instantly, the tops to a row of sodas in the stands behind them burst open with fizzy liquid shooting everywhere. The young clerk did nothing about the soda... his eyes were glued on the blonde sitting on the fat kid's lap the whole time. Chouji gulped down nothing as he was now drenched in sweat.

"So.." Ino broke her voice out of its purring drawl. "What were you saying about that restaurant?"

"... I'll try to come up with the money for the carnival tickets." He spoke in a broken whisper with wide eyes, scared out of his mind and aroused out of his shorts.

"Sounds great..." She remarked with a child's grin.

As she began to swirl her finger about his huge gut, Ino couldn't help but chuckle in her mind. She knew what she did was downright dirty, but hey... a chance to buy some shoes that were only available in Thunder Country were on the line! Besides, she figured it would be nice to spend some time with Chouji outside of this boring village. She wouldn't have to worry about the idiots who were still making fun of him because of the burning pants caper. So, she rationalized that she was well justified in her provocative behavior... All's fair in love and shoe sales...

While Chouji remained in a daze of perversion, Ino slowly pulled her hand away from his stomach and into a pouch at her side. She pulled out a kunai, gave Chouji a look that screamed 'be silent', and threw the kunai behind her without turning around.

"Hey, what the hell?!?"

A man, who suddenly found the back portion of his black trench coat plastered against the wall by a kunai, yelled in outraged confusion. As he attempted to shake himself out of the suspended coat, a bunch of food and jewelry came crashing on the ground beneath him. Chouji fully snapped out of it. This man certainly matched the description.

"UGH!"

The man grunted and fell to a pan-ridden sleep, an elongated fist wrapped in bandages planted squarely on his jaw. The kunai-hung trench coat kept him on his feet as he slipped into unconsciousness. The surrounding villagers stopped and exhaled their gasps at the sight. The elastic arm went rocketing back to its chubby owner. Ino and Chouji, still posted on the stool, grinned at each other. Ino turned her radio back on and bent into the microphone. Chouji bent into her microphone as well.

"**_Mission Complete!"_**

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a/c: There it is... definitely a much lighter read then the past 3 chapters, I trust? hehehe...

I hope this chapter wasn't too 'uneventful' for you guys... But even if it is, another update will be here soon!

And NejiTen enthusiasts... **_Pwease_** don't kill me for not updating their story in this chappie! I have to advance the other pairings too!

And just FYI, you will notice that Temari and Tenten have made-up last names in this fic. I decided to give them last names because Kishimoto forgot to do it himself. lol... and, before I get responses on it, "No Sabbaku" (translated 'Of the Sand') is **not** the sand siblings last name! In the manga, it is just an honorarium for them, like 'sama' or 'kun'. Shinkirou, the last name I gave Temari in this fic, translates into 'mirage'. Wei, Tenten's last name, is a Chinese name of which I don't have a translation for. I have sorta been hinting in this fic that Tenten has different ancestry then the other ninja of Konoha... That ancestry being a 'Chinese-like' people. :)

Please remember to leave feedback!


	26. Chapter 25

And here is chapter 25! Yeah, I know, took kinda long for me to update... But, to my own credit, it wasn't completely my fault this time! I had this chappie done a week ago, but uploading function was acting a little silly for a while and I couldn't get it up (lol... 'get it up'). Anyway, its pretty long, so that should make up for the time.

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As Temari and the jounin made their way down the tube-like halls of the University, another jounin who was posted against the wall of rusty-orange clay began to walk with them. Two escorts... the Sand Princess couldn't imagine how both of their company was necessary. She was essentially just going to meet with a bunch of deans, after all... but whatever.

As they trekked on, all three of the shinobi's footsteps fell in sync and created an irritating yet addictive beat that lasted for the duration of their journey. The jounin who was furthest ahead opened the double doors as Temari proceeded to make her way in.

"_He's..._ _I've definitely seen better looking guys... but..." _

"My presence was requested here?"

Temari spoked loudly through her wayward thoughts so that the entire board could hear her. The Board of Education, which were a company of 6 or 7 middle-aged men and women in beige robes who sat before a large table, all stared intently at the young lady before them. The one at the far right spoke first. He had his head down in a paper, seemingly perusing a file on the kunoichi.

"Shikinrou Temari, active Chuunin and daughter of the late Fourth Kazekage?"

"Yes..." Temari spoke warily, not quite sure if the board member's words were a question or a statement.

"There is no need to sound so suspicious, Temari-san!" A particularly aged woman of the council spoke with a welcoming smile and brilliant blue eyes. She sat two seats to the left from the member who was first to speak "You are not among enemies. Most of us were in power during your father's reign... I for one knew you since you were a little girl and have watched you grow into the woman you are now."

"If that is the case, then why was my lineage pointed out so discreetly?" Temari studied the board member who had her files in his face.

The aged woman sighed and reclined in her chair. The warmth of her blue eyes receded, as it was now time to get down to business.

"Well... Not only was your father a Kazekage, but he was a rather _wealthy_ Kazekage. The board is beginning to get worried that the financial and social status that your father left you now has you... confused." The aged woman spoke casually as she looked into the careful eyes of the Sand Princess. "You might be allowing your wealth and power to cloud your mind, making you believe that you are somehow 'special', or that you are an exception to any of the other students of this university."

"Excuse my haste and my rudeness, but I am missing a very important session right now." Temari spoke with a cooled temper. "If you don't mind... please tell me why I was called down here so that I may get back to that session."

"Why do you think we called you down here?" The aged woman spoke with a spirited grin.

"I would imagine it might have something to do with me missing about 14 days of class, but I would have to be wrong..." A devilish grin crept on Temari's face as she faced the aged woman. "Because, and I am sure you all know this, a student's enrollment in the school cannot be terminated unless that student has missed a total of 60 days of class."

The aged woman kept her gallant grin on Temari, who continued to match that grin with her own. The chuunin decided she would add insult to injury by going further then she really had to.

"And because I spent those days traveling to Konohagakure with an official passport that gave me every legal right to be there... I am even more confused as to why I was called out of a very important session, one which you would all agree that I need given I have missed a full 2 weeks of them, just to hear someone remind me of my ninja rank and the prosperity of my dead father."

Her voice almost echoed in the rather large office room, and was met by momentary silence... Eventually, grumbles beneath their breath ensued as the board members stared at one another. 'Insult' spelt on some of their faces and astonishment on others. oOly the aged woman kept her confident smile.

"_Still every bit as audacious as you were when you were but 7 years old, I see." _

The aged woman reclined back in her seat once more, admiring the blonde chuunin in her mind. It was hard not to admire such nerve, even if it was meant to insult her. The balding man with the black goatee who sat at the center, however, was not exactly 'charmed' by the presumptuous child that stood so obstinately before him.

Temari's eyes passed over the Board of Education, the shrewdness of those eyes saying 1000 words at one time. When she passed over every member, she blinked slowly before sighing.

"... If you'll excuse me."

She then slowly turned away from the board to return to her instructor's fiery speech.

"You are... quite an intelligent and studious woman, Temari-san." The balding man spoke with a tone as sly as a fox, face still slightly twisted by her cynical speech. "It is clear how you were able to maintain your G.P.A despite your attendance issues."

The chuunin turned back around with obvious disinterest. The balding man leaned forward and set his eyes into Temari's. It was quite unprofessional to smile in such a situation, so he mustered much strength to control his face muscles as he spoke further.

"Your intelligence is what earned you a place in the challenging field of 'Political Relations', but it is your impertinence that has muffled that intelligence and became your own undoing."

"And what should I take that to mean?" She placed her hands on her hips.

"As I am sure you are well aware, Political Relations is not a very popular subject in Sunagakure... The concept of a school that trains students to become ambassadors and liaisons has become more popular with the losses we suffered in the recent Konoha Invasion, but there are still those who sit on the Council who want nothing more then to see this University crumble. The lust for power and military strength among the members of Sand's Council is causing them to exhaust every last one of their resources in an effort to silence the cry for maintenance of peace within the 5 countries... and a future that is free of war."

The balding man retorted.

"Yes. I am well aware of this." Temari responded simply.

"Then you would completely understand the standard that we place on our students, wherein they must be above exceptional in all their conduct?" The balding man spoke instantly, almost cutting Temari off with the continuation of his speech. "As I stated, The Council will do anything in its power to diminish this university, even by slandering its name through the lack of motivation of our students. If it is known that this school is a haven for people who, say, feel that they can skip 14 days of class without fear of disciplinary action being taken... well, I believe you can see how that would be a problem."

Temari remained silent with a vicious stare. Her mind and body was suddenly overcome with worry and impending judgment, and rightfully so. A pinch of giddiness proceeded the sly words of the balding man as he went further.

"We have to drive home the message that, despite intelligence and a natural handle on the material of this curriculum, this University will not waste its time on students who do not really want to be here."

The aged woman smile didn't lose its luster, and the balding man fought hard to keep his burdened lips from curling upward.

"Shikinrou Temari, active chuunin and daughter of the late Fourth Kazekage... By unanimous vote of the Board of Education..."

As he allowed his sentence to be held up in the air for dramatic effect and a more devastating impact, the balding man just couldn't hold back his smile any longer.

"Your enrollment in this University has been terminated."

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"_**WWWWHHHAAAAT??!??!" **_

The world around the immediate area in front of the Hokage Tower shook under the volume of their combined cry. Their eyes were enlarged, pupils doused with the whiteness of their shock. He couldn't be serious!!!

Asuma, cigarette suspended securely between his lips, stood with his hands held flat out to his astounded pupils. The only thing that moved him for a second was the temporary earthquake from their cry. He was dead serious.

"Give it to me."

"**B-B-B-BUT SENSEI, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! I NEED THIS MONEY!!!"**A waterfall of tears ran down Chouji's eyes.

"**YEAH, HE REALLY DOES!!!" **Ino shouted with tears streaming down her face, as she could already see the Carnival trip sailing away on those very tears. **"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS, SENSEI?!?! WE CAUGHT THE THIEF, SO WHY ARE WE STILL BEING PUNISHED!?!?" **

"I'll just take the money from you if you don't give it up willingly."

Ino and Chouji looked at each other wearily, and then turned back to their cruel, heartless sensei. They didn't stand a prayer against Asuma sensei if he went all out on them. They dropped their heads and sighed... finally digging into their pockets to hand over the ryo they just made from the mission.

"I could care less if you were the ones to catch the thief." Asuma spoke, finally taking a drag of his cigarette with one hand as he fingered through their money with his other, keeping count of the bills in his head. "The point is you disobeyed direct orders... and hopefully you'll remember never to make that mistake again after walking around with an empty wallet and purse for awhile."

And with that, Asuma pocketed the two genin's money and began to turn away from them.

"I will have to tally up both of your combined restaurant debts over the years by looking over my receipts". Asuma always kept those receipts just in case they would ever come in handy. "And I'll also be paying a visit to your parents to let them know that they should garnish your allowances and give me a percentage of it."

Asuma began walking off when his legs were suddenly hooked and grappled by two weights... one weight infinitely heavier then the other. He sighed at their persistence when he heard them weeping loudly beneath his feet.

"**_NOOOOO!!!!!!!" _**Their cry was booming and filled with exaggerated sobs as Ino and Chouji cling for dear life, both of their arms wrapped deadly tight around an individual leg. **_"WE BEG YOU, SENSEI, ANYTHING BUT THAT!!!! WE'LL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES, BUT WE NEEEEDD OUR MMMONNNEEEYYY!!!!"_**

Their pleas were beginning to make a scene.The chain smoker looked all around him with a troubled face as the people of Konoha began whispering to each other. Asuma was by no means a shy man, but he always hated to draw too much attention to himself. He grunted under his breath from the mental pressure. He finally hid behind closed eyes and consulted his inner monologue.

"_Great... people are staring... well, let them stare. I can't keep giving into them whenever they put on a show. I have to make a stand one of these days, or they'll never learn. It's time to stop being a pal, and to start being an instructor."_

The instructor nodded his head in agreement with the advice he gave himself, and began to move with the annoying shackles of flesh clutching his calves. It was Asuma's hope that they would both let go eventually, Ino because her outfit would be sullied beneath the dirt and Chouji because hunger and boredom would get the better of him... They both groaned as their stomachs painfully ran along the rough pavement, but still hung on nonetheless.

"**I'M SORRY... SENSEI!!! FORGIVE...ME!!!"**The blonde cried aloud, her words rough and spaced out from the irritation of being dragged.

Ino's pleas were beginning to vex Asuma's heart, and the strength it took to heave around Chouji's blubber was beginning to waver. He swung Ino around with little effort with his left leg, but he had to brace himself and gnash his teeth to move his right leg. This was becoming more trouble then it was worth. A loudmouth and a glutton... They were admittedly quite a handful when they worked together.

"_Ah... who am I kidding?" _

With a final rising and falling of his left foot, Asuma stopped moving. He closed his eyes, took a pull, and discharged a tar-filled cloud into the air by way of a huge sigh.

"Okay, idiots... stand to your feet and we will make a deal." He spoke on wearily, in the spirit of his previous sigh.

"ANYTHING you want, Asuma sensei!" Ino was first on her feet, and of course, she was first to respond.Chouji stood up a few moments later with like-comment.

The jounin looked at the young woman before him thoughtfully, and glanced over toward the young man soon after... it only took him a second to figure out what each of them could do to atone for their transgressions.

"Okay... here's what were going to do." Asuma began. "I am still going to keep the money you guys made from the mission, but I won't make you pay your restaurant debts or give you double training sessions IF you both do a few jobs for me."

Neither of the genin liked the smile plastered on the Sarutobi's face.

"What jobs?" Chouji questioned.

"Well..." Asuma directed his attention toward the blonde. "From you I want free roses for the next 3 months-"

"WHAT?!?! I can't just give away roses! That's a family business!"

"AND." Asuma continued. "I want 2 floral arrangements, both including.. umm... Stargazers and Sunflowers by Saturday evening."

"_Sunday... Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's our anniversary date." _

Ino turned a fine pasty color as her eye twitched.

"S-Stargazers and Sunflowers?!? D-do you have any idea how ugly that will look?" Ino spoke with disgust. "The color scheme is all wrong! **She's** not going to like it!"

A vein came to Asuma's forehead suddenly. Ino might have known about their relationship, but that certainly didn't give her the right to butt into it with her opinions.

"Of course." He spoke through his teeth. "We can always go back to making you a pay a credit of over 2 years-"

"FINE, I'll do it!"

Ino pouted and crossed her arms. Asuma patted the top of her head as a response.

"And as for you, Chouji..." The fat genin gulped as he looked up at his sensei. "I'll let you know what you can do for me some other time in private... consider it a secret ops mission."

Sweat rolled down Chouji's back as Asuma smiled with optimal satisfaction. His heart was already downcast by having his pay taken from him... Now, with a future that was only certain in drudging servitude, he was downright depressed.

Without saying goodbye, the glutton and the loudmouth walked away from their surprisingly sinister sensei, gloom and doom in every footstep.

------------------------------------

"Oh BOY, that was a close one!"

Ino spoke with renewed exuberance after her 3 minutes of depression. Still, a touch of anxiety lined her proceeding words.

"I guess I am just gonna have to put my own money into the cash register to pay for the roses and floral arrangements, but at least we'll still be able to afford the Carnival tickets!... And what was with that 'secret ops mission' talk? Do you have any clue what he meant by that?"

Ino turned her head toward her pudgy companion as they made their way around the bend that led to the Housing District. Chouji glanced up at Ino for a moment to display quite the twisted face. The chunk in his cheeks were forced upward by his face muscles, as though they were trying to tackle his nose. His eyes were made wickedly beady by his scrunched up lids, and the skin of his forehead stood crinkled between his brows. He gave her one stern look, and dropped his head again. His eyes remained plastered on the road before him.

A "hmmm?" escaped Ino's lips, expressing her confusion.

"You said he was just bluffing..." Chouji explained himself simply, kicking the dust before him in every step he took.

The blonde giggled nervously with one hand over her mouth.

"Sorry about that!" She spoke on with closed eyes and a toothy grin. "But how could I have guessed that Asuma sensei was serious? He's talked big like that before, but he never actually goes through with punishing us."

"Sensei was in a real bad mood today." remarked a laid back voice that belonged to neither of them.

"Huh!??!"

Ino jumped back from shock as Shikamaru peered his head between the two of them, seemingly out of nowhere.

"He's been pissed off all day about something." The chuunin spoke on nonchalantly, completely unaffected by her shock. "I'm surprised neither of you realized that... You guys sure picked the wrong day to be bold with him."

"S-Shikamaru!? Asuma was calling for you over the radio for a solid 3 minutes before he just gave up! What happened to you!?" Ino demanded with vigor.

"I fell asleep on the roof... I guess sensei was too angry to wake me up." The chuunin explained with a shrug. "Anyway, I thought it would be a pain in the ass to face sensei when he was already mad at you guys, so I woke up and followed close behind instead. I saw you beg for your money back and everything, I waited for sensei to leave before going to the Hokage's office, got my money, caught up with you guys and here I am."

A man beating the dust out of a hanging burgundy rug to the side of the three was the immediate response to the chuunin's speech. Ino was content to just give Shikamaru some 'look' of undefined emotions before exhaling and turning her head toward the road. Chouji never even turned around.

The three now walked by the rows of mundane shacks which came in a staggering total of 2 colors, alternating from a stunning off-white to a marvelous rusty carmine. Shikamaru's eyes rolled over Chouji's doleful expression... When he looked over at Ino again and saw some resistence in her face, he realized what that 'look' she gave him earlier meant.

"Ummm... Did I interrupt something?" He finally asked with a little hesitation. "Because, if you guys want, I can just swing back for a little while."

"No."

"Yes."

Ino and Chouji immediately turned to face each other in a silent confrontation to their little disagreement. A wad of sweat rolled down the lazy shinobi's back.

"YES, Shikamaru..." Ino spoke sharply while giving Chouji a look that was of an entirely different make-up then the one given to her other teammate. "Do you think you can give us a moment alone?"

Shikamaru's relaxed eyes passed over Chouji for the final confirmation. Chouji looked at Shikamaru for the first time since they started walking and waved him off with a heavy hand, closed eyes and begrudged visage.

"Fine then. I'll be right behind you guys when you're done."

And with that, Shikamaru slowed down his pace considerably in order to create some distance between his teammates. When he felt he was far enough away from them, he linked his fingers behind his head and walked on with his own thoughts to keep him occupied.

A few feet ahead, Shikamaru could see Ino coughing into her hand. The chuunin assumed she was trying to shift her mood around for Chouji's benefit.

Ino coughed into her hand, and shifted her face from uncertain to smiling for Chouji's benefit. She turned toward him with a well-configured smirk. She set 'googly eyes' upon the genin.

"...You mad at me, big guy?" She purred with 'soothe' tucked beneath her lips.

"Yes." Chouji answered gruffly and with an abrasive edge. He kicked on as he walked without turning her way.

"...Whhhyyy?" Ino tilted her head into his line of vision, splashing her pools of topaz at him by batting her eyes slowly.

The large genin grumbled something under his breath with more then a little hostility, and said no more... However, the blonde genin was no more impressed with his resistence then he was impressed with her sensuality. She took advantage of the space between Chouji's arm, and slyly linked her arm with his so that they were locked at the elbows. She moved with enough cunning to keep Chouji from realizing what happened until it was done. He looked up at her grinning face and then down at their conjoined forearms. He snarled. All in one motion Chouji abruptly pulled his arm away from her while pushing her back with just enough force to be considered 'rude' without being violent. A strand or two of her platinum-blonde locks found itself disheveled from the action, which she quickly set back in order. Her eyes became deadly sharp as she sucked her teeth. She suddenly changed her tune completely.

"Geez, I said I was sorry! We'll STILL have enough money for the trip without the pay from that mission, so I don't even get why you're so mad!"

"I'm MAD because I'm going to be out of pocket money for at least two weeks because I listened to you!" Chouji finally yelled back. His tone took on a whiny quality as he continued. "Now how am I gonna buy snacks?!?"

Although Ino was a little shocked by his initial statement, the second statement lightened the shock considerably. She almost wanted to chuckle.

"Snacks??!?" She snapped back, ripples of laughter in her tone. "If all you're worried about is eating, I can just cook for you until you get some extra money!"

"NO! I said **snacks**! Unless you can cook potato chips and twinkies you can't make up for the money I just lost!"

A wad of sweat rolled down Ino's back as she continued to march furiously with this silly baby who she just might have a thing for. He was so immature... between her teammates and Sakura, Ino was beginning to think that childish people were just naturally drawn to her like bumble bees to a pollen-endowed flower.

"Do you mean to tell me that you're THIS upset because you might not eat twinkies for a few days?"

"YES!"

"But its no big deal! Its just junk food! You can do a few days without it!"

"It's a big deal to me, and no I can't! My clan thrives on a high calorie diet, in case you've forgotten!" Chouji shouted back with a pout. "Besides, your missing the point..."

"Point?!? WHAT point?!!?"

Chouji sighed, releasing some of the tension in his face muscles.

"You know what? Forget it, it doesn't matter. SHIKAMARU, WERE DONE TALKING! LET'S GET OUTTA HERE!"

Chouji kept his face straight ahead as he called to his friend, who snapped out of his thoughts and began to catch up with the two.

Ino, still rather confused and steamed by their first argument, decided to cool down with a deep sigh of her own. She figured she might as well say the rest with Shikamaru around.

"Okay.. I'm really sorry about what happened, Chouji." Unlike the smile, her look of genuine care didn't need to be configured. It was buried beneath the smile the whole time. "... I'll find a way to make it up to you, okay?"

"Hrpmh. Whatever. Me and Shikamaru are making this turn."

Chouji and Shikamaru turned sharply to the left pathway in the fork in the road when the fat genin hacked violently by reason of a monstrous pressure around his throat. He found himself tugged back into Ino's waiting eyes, her left hand bunching up his white scarf. He had been training with the girl for close to 3 years now, and he never once realized she was powerful enough to sling his body so easily.

"Did you hear what I said, Chouji?!?"

Ino demanded, her sexiness reaching levels in her seriousness that it couldn't dream of reaching when she was actually **trying** to be sexy. Her pools of topaz mesmerized... and, much like real water, they passed through every crack and crevice in the stone wall Chouji had placed before her.

"I said I would find a way to make it up you..."

"And I said 'whatever'." Chouji couldn't seem weak, not in front of Shikamaru.

Ino stared into his eyes for a moment longer before loosening her clench in his now wrinkled white scarf. Her eyes passed over Shikamaru quickly. She realized what was going on here.

"I want to see you tomorrow at the flower shop. We can talk about things then... is that okay?"

"If I have time." He rebutted quicker then quickly.

Suddenly her eyes became less piercing, which seem to only strengthen the powerful spell they cast on him. She looked so... Chouji sighed beneath his breath and turned his head to a very disinterested Shikamaru. He turned back around, looked down at her feet and spoke quietly.

"Alright... I'll be there."

Ino, being the opportunist she was, took the opportunity to press her lips against her teammate's forehead while he stared down at her sandals. She rested her lips on his flesh much longer then she usually did, as though to sear the message of her sincerity into his mind forever. The hefty pre-teen slowly raised his head with cheeks that burned red with blush...

"... Since my dad is back in town, I'll be able to take longer breaks then usual.. A quarter past noon is the best time for you to stop by... okay?"

"...Okay..."

Ino then gave that cute little nose of his some affection, giving the tip of it a quick peck. Out of all the places she had kissed him at this point, the nose was by far her favorite.

"O-okay..." Chouji repeated himself, the intensity of that 'innocent' kiss blanking out his mind.

No matter how many times she kissed him since they were... well, Chouji wanted to say 'going out', but that's wasn't necessarily true. Nothing was official. Anyway, no matter how many times she kissed since they were 'getting closer' to each other, it never really got any more comfortable for him. Sure, he got used to the kissing... but that only meant he got used to being uncomfortable.

"Okay then... so, I'll see you later." Ino finally released her eye lock and allowed her grasp to slide off of his scarf. She made her way down the right pathway. "See ya later, Shikamaru."

"Later." Shikamaru remarked to the retreating blonde.

They both watched Ino run into her pink-haired friend down the road. They watched them both disappear from their view in momentary silence.

"DON'T say a word... I don't wanna hear it." Chouji spoke preemptively to the chuunin who was grinning while shaking his head. He began walking down the left side of the road without waiting for him.

"Anyway... I have to find this little girl... Name's Neko. You wanna help me out?" Shikamaru caught up with him.

"Fine... but only if you buy me a few snacks..."

-------------------------------

With eyes a deep emerald green and a stare that was always inquisitive, Sakura stared back at Chouji as he made his turn in the fork in the road.

"... he looked pretty upset. What did you do to him?" she turned her head toward Ino as they walked on.

"Don't worry about him. He'll be fine." Ino assured her friend poorly.

"Hmmm... Never seen you guys leave each other on a bad note before!" The pink-haired nin revealed a smirk and gave Ino a knowing stare. "Did I just miss your very first fight as a couple?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, forehead girl!" Ino revealed her piranha-teeth grin. "Its nothing I can't handle."

"I don't know... seems to me your magic is losing its hold on him!"

Sakura giggled... but only briefly. She took note that Ino... wasn't exactly herself. Not only had Sakura called them a couple, but questioning the coolest girl in Konoha's power over men WITHOUT receiving any retaliation? Such a thing was unheard of. The medic nin kept the same knowing glare, but took on a much warmer smile.

"...Wanna talk about it, piggie?"

"Hm. Maybe later." Ino spoke quickly before pulling out a folded paper from a pouch on her hip. Whatever feeling Ino was projecting a moment before was now replaced by sudden gaiety. "Look at where Chouji is taking me in a few weeks!"

Sakura took the paper from her grasp, and rolled her eyes over the content.

"The Blue Dusk Carnival, eh?"

"That's right. Its gonna be so awesome!"

"Hmmm..."

Sakura continued to read the flier when her eyes met the fine print at the bottom of the page... and the fine print caused an immediate twitching response.

"D-did you guys see the price for the tickets?!?!"

"Well, yes..."

"Then how do you plan on paying for this?! Most adults would have a hard time paying this fee!" Sakura handed the paper back to her friend..

Ino scratched her head with the flier bunched up in her grasp and turned her eyes away from her friend, preparing herself for her disapproval.

"Chouji has been saving up for months an-"

"Don't tell me you're going to make the poor guy pay for both of the tickets..." Sakura said flatly and aggressively.

Ino cleared her throat, and kept her eyes from her friend.

"No. You weren't." Sakura couldn't even frame complete sentences that could match the absolute nerve of the blonde.

She slowed down and strafed to the other side of the road in an attempt to face Ino's eyes. When she did this, the blonde simply turned her eyes in the direction she had just left. Ino didn't give a word... but the nervous blush and the folded arms said it all.

"...You are so evil..."

"What?! Once we got into the carnival I was planning to go shopping with my own money!" Ino finally exploded.

"I feel so sorry for Chouji." Sakura spoke the rest with a chuckle. "He has no idea what he has gotten himself into!"

"Yeah, well, screw you." Ino burrowed her face into the flier once more, reading over the contents for the sheer sake of reading.

The two young ladies, side by side, made their way around the bend that was the crux at which the lower-class housing district converted into middle-class. The ugly, 1-story cabins melted into 2 to 3-story buildings of a rainbow assortment of colors. This was the place that most of Konoha's family clans called home. It was the district designated for the clans who were well off but not quite in the same financial bracket as The Hyuuga, Akimichi and Aburame... Thus, this was the district where Ino Yamanaka rested her head.

Sakura looked straight ahead to see her best friend's house off in the distance. Since Ino's dad was going to tend to the flower shop and Sakura wasn't needed by Tsunade-sama, they both decided they would spend the rest of the day doing nothing at one of their homes. They went to Sakura's place a month ago. It was Ino's turn.

While diverting her vision from the top of the blonde's 2-story home, Sakura's eyes fell down to a person she wasn't quite expecting to see. After all, she didn't live in this district... Ino was going to freak.

"Owww!"

Ino, head still buried in the paper, yelped loudly when she felt Sakura's nails close around the flesh of her forearm in a pinch. She finally removed the flier from her face.

"What the hell, Sakura!? That hurt!"

"Shut up and look who's coming!"

Sakura hissed lowly through her teeth, a full-faced smile greeting the kunoichi who was making her way toward them both.

"Ohhh..." Ino immediately began to stifle giggles as the girl was but a few yards from them.

Once they were both sure that the girl was walking up to them with the intention of talking, they stopped moving and waited for her. Ino was still trying to collect herself, so Sakura figured she would be the first to speak.

"Hello, Tenten-san!" The green-eyed preteen felt it only right she greet the elder girl formally, considering they weren't close enough to be on informal terms.

"Heh heh...Hey there, Tenten!" Ino, on the other hand...

"Hi girls..." The tanned warrior responded somewhat warily, stopping in front of the girls with hands held below her waist.

"Soo..." Ino began slyly, making Tenten all the more wary. "What are you doing in my neck of the woods? I've never seen you around this area before."

Tenten suddenly took on a more burdened demeanor in place of the awkward wariness.

"I'm actually looking for Neji... I came over here to ask if you girls have seen him today."

Ino couldn't hold it in. She immediately turned her head from the brunette to laugh, a chuckle or two spilling from her lips in her haste. Sakura allowed her blossom locks to curtain her smirking face as she put her head down momentarily.

Tenten, in the midst of so many weighty things on her heart, couldn't help but twitch her eye at their strange behavior. A wad of sweat rolled down her back. Sakura finally raised her head with one eyebrow lifted up.

"So... you're looking for **Neji**, eh?" Sakura spoke with underlying cunning.

"... Yessss. That is what I said." Tenten responded with a raised eyebrow of her own.

"Whhyyy...?" Ino questioned, recovering from her giddiness.

"Umm... maybe because he's my teammate?"

Tenten framed her statement as a question to harden the blow of her condescension. The truth is she would have responded unfavorably to any question of her relationship with Neji at any phase in her life... but... with the recent events that have occurred between them, Tenten would respond with the full blunt of her attitude with anyone who presumed to dig into her business.

"I hear he's a little more then your teammate..." Ino ignored her striking attitude and got straight to the point with a huge grin on her face.

Tenten suddenly felt very nervous... but not bashful nervous. It was much darker then that. Nervousness is always an indication that one has something to hide... something to protect. In her case... she had a precious amount of secrets to protect... secrets she certainly didn't want to hear proceed from this blonde bimbo's lips... she didn't want them to proceed from her own lips. All this was what caused black intent to surge through Tenten's relatively calm-looking body all at once. This intent... this nervousness had no problem shedding blood to protect what it was concealing. But her nerves were just jumping the gun. No... there was no way Ino knew everything.

Sakura picked up on that intent... and observed the girl in silence.

"Don't deny it, Tenten!" Ino badgered on playfully. "Ayame saw you two over a month ago... holding each other in the middle of the night. I think you know what I'm talking about, but I can go into details if it would help to refresh your memory."

"_How could the Ramen girl have seen us that night?!?! And even if she did, why would she tell Ino?!? Oh, wait... oh yeah. There is that younger 'Ayame' who I think is still in the academy. I live right next to her... I thought she moved though! Apparently not..."_

Tenten's darker nerves suddenly relaxed and sunk down to a level of embarrassment that was sufficient for the minuscule knowledge Ino had of the whole story. It was a good thing too... Tenten didn't like what she felt pulsating through her a moment ago. The warrior sighed.

"Ohhh, you mean that!" Tenten figured she would give the nosy girls a little 'show' in order to further mask what was heavy on her heart, and she feared, apparent in her eyes.

"So its true then!?!?" The blonde kunoichi demanded with brilliant eyes, her voice cockling with pure excitement.

"I wanted to keep it quiet, but there is no point in denying it... Yeah, me and Neji have sorta been dating for a while now!"

The lie rolled off of her tongue with relative ease, considering it was all 'technically' true.

Neither Sakura or Tenten could have prepared themselves for the shriek of glee that came from Ino's frightening vocal cords at that moment. They covered their ears with their hands too late to avoid the momentary ringing that lingered when she was finished.

"OHMYGOD OHMYGOD OHMYGOD!!!" Ino hopped up and down in her bliss. "I KNEW it was true! I am SO jealous of you!"

"Well thanks, but I **don't** really feel like talking about it right now." This was definitely true. "I just want to know if either of you have seen him or not."

Ino, apparently, didn't hear the genin's request above her own intimate fantasies.

"He is just SO quiet and solemn-like! All those pent-up emotions... I bet it makes him a great kisser!"

Suddenly, something inside Tenten just closed up completely and weighed her entire expression down. Her heart had closed in on itself like a trap door, and Tenten didn't quite no how to open it back up... or, at the very least, make it seem like Ino's words didn't effect her at all.

"Come on, Tenten, you can tell me...he's a great kisser, isn't he?" Ino went on suggestively, taking Tenten's change in moods as a sign that she was hitting close to home. "How far have you guys gone, I wonder... Second base? Third? Heh, did you go even further then that?"

A harsh memory was tossed against the wall of her mind, and left quite a disturbing stain in its wake. The genin resisted the powerful urge to cover her breasts by folding her arms over them. Her chocolate-brown eyes became drowsy as she felt something inch its way up her throat. She felt tired and sick.

"I-I don't have time for this. I'm leaving."

Tenten quickly marched past the two useless tramps making sure not to even look their way. The pressure was vicious... and she had to leave that situation for Ino's sake, as Tenten was only a second away from doing the world a favor and shattering that huge mouth of hers against her foot.

"WAIT." Sakura called out.

The brunette halted her advance for a moment. Sakura wasn't quite sure if Neji was the sole reason for Tenten's strange behavior... but she wasn't about to let her leave on this note. It would be hard for her to work with the mess Ino had made of things, but she had to try...

"Have you spoken to Hinata yet? We haven't seen Neji today, but I am sure she would know where he is."

"... I've already spoken to Hinata. She is looking for him too... she said he never came home last night." Tenten responded to Sakura, turning toward her.

Sakura and Ino both took on a look of light shock. The situation was more serious then either of them had realized. They both thought it was strange that she didn't ask Hiashi about Neji's whereabouts, but they decided against asking why. They both put their heads down in thought of what to say next. Tenten put her head down as well, but for an entirely different reason...

"... Have you checked the forest areas on the outskirts of the village?" Ino questioned slowly, an apology attached to her tone for her rude line of questioning earlier.

Picking up on Ino's apology, Tenten suddenly felt the vicious pressure that made her ill loose its hold on her. The pressure was present before she even talked to them, so Ino letting the 'great kisser' talk go could never truly free her... it only loosened to the point where she was able to stand before them without succumbing to sickness.

"I've checked the forest clearings that he usually goes to reflect and train..." She answered quietly. "He's not there."

"Well..." Sakura began speaking again slowly. "Have you spoken to Lee or..."

It was time like these that the hooded genin wished he could read lips. Meh... then again, considering Ino was with them, they were most likely just gossiping. Still, Kiba watched on in the distance as the 3 women all stood around in a circle talking. He had noticed Sakura walking around the district a while ago and had been watching her from said distance before Tenten was even in view. But, he wasn't stalking her or anything! No. That would be creepy... he was just thinking. That's it. He was trying to figure out...

"_How the hell am I supposed to ask her out on a date?! What, should I just walk up to her and say 'lets go out on a date'? Am I supposed to use the word 'date' when I ask her out? Are we even close enough for me to ask her out on a date? We have only spoken to each other, like, 3 times... But I mean, we did grow up with each other. We were in the same class in the academy for years. From that alone we automatically know a helluva lot about each other... so in a way, I have been 'dating' her since we were little kids! Plus, she's a very cool person. I doubt she'll turn me down if I just do this out-right." _

"What do ya think, Akamaru? Should I stop hiding and just go for it now?" Kiba knelt down beside his faithful companion and ruffled the hairs of his head.

Akamaru didn't bother barking out a comment. He merely planted his eyes on the pink-haired beauty while his drenched tongue hung yearningly out of his mouth, the tip of it dripping with warm love and nearly tasting the concrete beneath his paws. The dog began to wrestle out of Kiba's grasp for a moment before a quick rub of his snout calmed him down. He panted loudly.

"Couldn't of said it better myself." Kiba grinned. "But behave yourself this time, runt! Her friends are around, so don't do anything to embarrass her or me. Got it?!?"

Akarmaru barked out a 'yeah'.

"Let's go."

As Kiba made his way over to the flock of women, he gradually began to pick up their individual scents. He first picked up Tenten's scent... her smell was something he would describe as being akin to 'cinnamon'. He immediately caught a whiff of something that he would describe as a 'bag of ass'. This was, no doubt, the stench of Ino's perfume. His nostrils were finally treated to the rich fragrance of cherries, which he could only describe as 'Sakura'.

The genin grinned notably when he realized that he was finally able to control 'it'. He had to apply some excess concentration and will power to subdue his nostrils, but for all intensive purposes it would seem he had conquered his 'nose problems'. It was a wonder what just a month of training, awareness, and understanding courtesy of Shino could do. If it were a few weeks ago he was liable to go into convulsions if he came anywhere near Team 7's kunoichi. Now, he was standing just a few feet behind her with no 'puberty attacks' at all... he still drooled a bit, but it was nothing a few swallows here and there couldn't fix.

"How ya girl's doin'!??!"

Once again, the dog-boy immediately displayed his level of tact with a loud greeting. The three genin turned their attention to a grinning Kiba. They didn't look very amused... Kiba focused his eyes on Sakura, and was surprised to feel some resistence rise up in his throat. He fought through it.

"Sakura... I wanted to ask you something. Do you think we can-"

"Oh, give it a rest, Fido!" The other girls were attempting to maintain their manner and their cool about Kiba's intrusion. Ino, however, was more then ready to mete out some righteous indignation. "Are you blind? Can't you see we are in the middle of something right now?!"

The Inuzuka cast an explosive glare and a wicked growl to the blonde, and opened his mouth to retort.

"Kiba." Sakura's call quieted the impending storm. She turned away from Kiba and back toward Tenten as she spoke. "Sorry, but you caught me at a bad time... we'll talk a little later."

It wasn't until Sakura said something that Kiba picked up a thick cloud of worry in the air. He studied the faces of the three girls and saw that same worry sucking the vibrancy out of their expressions. He then looked at Akamaru, a dog who was much more observant and perceptive then he, and saw that he didn't approach Sakura or growl at Ino. He was just laying there, the heaviness of the atmosphere forcing him to rest on his belly. Kiba figured that there must have been some SERIOUS girl talk going on before he arrived. He didn't fare well in emotional situations at all. It wasn't his thing... he hated to obey the words of that blue-eyed bitch, but he decided it was high time for him to be on his way.

"Okay..." Kiba spoke with a face that expressed both confusion and concern. "I'll see ya when I see ya then."

The shinobi snapped his fingers to prompt Akamaru on his feet, and the two began to walk off. Tenten hesitated, but soon called out to Kiba.

"Wait a moment." She began. "I was looking for Neji... do you think that either you or Akamaru could try to pick up his scent for me?"

"_Ah... now it makes sense. She's looking for him too."_

Kiba's eyes dropped for a moment as he prepared to break the bad news to the tanned genin.

...He hated to be the one to tell her this.

"I hate to be the one to tell you this, but Hinata already told me about Neji earlier this morning. She asked me to pick up his scent too... I was headed to the Hyuuga Manor to let Hinata know that me and Akamaru can't pick up his scent anywhere."

All three of the younger genin and the dog watched in pity as another layer of heartache was laid on the brunette. Her eyes hit the floor, and her hands fell dead to her side.

"Sorry..." Kiba, as inexperienced as he was in this field, thought to cheer her up the best way he knew how. "Chances are that Neji figured Hinata would try to use me to find him, and he simply covered his tracks somehow. I mean, you know how that guy is!... sometimes he just wants to be alone... I am sure he will pop up when he is ready to be found."

"Yeah..."

Tenten sighed deeply and kept her eyes on the ground. She was at first even more distraught when she noticed Kiba's whimpering dog make its way to the side of her leg. She was prepared to get physical with the canine if it did anything stupid... but her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach at what Akamaru did next. The big dog began to gently run his snout against her shin at a serene pace. At that moment she felt her lungs tighten up with a shallow intake of air, her breathing taking on a pace that usually was accompanied by tears... Nobody had touched her with such deep comfort and care since yesterday night... and no one reached her heart like that in so long... the fact that the touch came from a dog made it bizarre, but it didn't make it any less genuine. She felt loved...

Tenten cried at that very moment... but no one knew it but her and Akamaru.

With a broken smile she moved her hand over the top of his head. Akamaru drew his head back momentarily and doused that hand with liquid from a licking session. A sudden laugh escaped Tenten's mouth from the tickling sensation in her fingertips.

Ino and Sakura giggled lightly as they watched the elder girl brighten up, if for but a moment.

"Besides..." Kiba suddenly began speaking again. "Neji is more then capable of taking care of himself if he is in some sort of trouble.. Yeah... There's nothing to worry about at all."

Honestly, he spoke those words more in assurance to himself. All the emotions in the air had accidently spilled on the dog-boy and now he was a touch worried about the Hyuuga too. But, even if they were spoken in hope, Kiba meant every word. He saw what Neji was capable of when he fought alongside him against the Sound Four that fateful day a few years ago. The only force he saw that could ever stop the genius of Konoha was Naruto... and because Naruto was gone, there wasn't a force in the land that could hold Neji against his own will. They were both unstoppable... yep... Kiba's friends were unstoppable.

"Anyway, come on, Akamaru. Its time for us to leave."

Kiba turned to walk away from the women. Sakura waved him off. Ino did not. Akamaru gave Tenten a last second stare with a light whimper before running after his master.

Tenten smiled at the dog as it ran off. That was just what she needed... but now it was gone again. The smile broke again after a few moments and was no sooner replaced by that feeling of detachment. It wasn't even real sorrow anymore... it was just a detached feeling, as though everything was out of place. Neji, the situation they were in, the quiet relationship they used to enjoy, herself... none of these things were where they should have been. It was all so disturbing to her heart... even her attempts to put things back in order felt out of order in itself. Why was she looking for him to begin with? Why would she want to face him now?... Why would she ever want to face him again? She understood why she was so worried about him, but something inside wouldn't stop repeating the same cryptic statement... **He doesn't deserve to be worried about**... as much as she cursed that voice, she also knew it had a point. Yeah, he was in pain somewhere and he was alone, but she had been in pain and had been alone too... and Neji, whom she had went through so much for, only made that pain and loneliness worse by ten-fold. Her feelings were so far out of order that she knew they would never be the same again. It wasn't until the moment she woke up this morning that she realized that the heart and mind are, indeed, two completely separate entities... both with the ability to think... both with the ability to speak... both with the ability to hate and love without agreeing with each other. She needed to see Neji like she needed her blood to continue to flow... but she knew that, if last night was any indication, seeing him again might be the very thing that cuts that flow... she cursed her thoughts.

"...Thanks for trying to help anyway, girls." Tenten turned her back to Sakura and Ino.

"Sorry about this. I wish there was more we could tell you..." Ino spoke with sympathy. "But Kiba is right when it comes to this. Neji is going to be just fine... wherever he is."

"... I know..." Tenten inwardly told herself that what she just said wasn't a lie.

"Tenten-san." Sakura raised her head with an inviting, if not semi-somber, expression.

The brunette paused when Sakura called out her name. Her mom had been calling her name with that same 'light' tone for awhile now. Tenten naturally knew what was coming. It appeared in the same way Tenten could not fool Seung, she could not fool Sakura. The Haruno finally recognized what she saw in the girl's disposition because she recognized it within herself. The two young women had both been down the roads of worry and heartache for a teammate... for someone more then a teammate. Sakura, however, had been down this road for much longer and was both a recipient and orator of many pep talks on the subject. She was well versed in her territory, and knew that she had to tread carefully.

"...I-I know this sounds weird since we don't really know each other too well..."

They could both feel it with those words... an invisible bridge being set up... a chance for them to reach out to each others burdens...

"But... if you ever want to talk about **anything**..."

The pink-haired girl marveled at how hard it was to set up the bridge... as extending it to Tenten meant that she also had to open it to her.. she had to open herself up to her. Her voice was an inch from cracking, and Tenten's expression shifted to match her own... the bridge was complete.

"... Just know that I'm here..."

The silence that ensued confused Ino... she knew something was happening in the midst of the quiet, but she just didn't know what. Of course, she wasn't about to interrupt.

"...Thank you, Sakura-san"

No sooner then the second syllable of the younger girl's name left her lips, Tenten stormed away without so much as another look back. She so badly wanted to reach out to Sakura... to give her this burden and to take on whichever burden she had... to tell **someone**.. but right now, she wasn't ready to meet Sakura across that bridge. Still... it felt great to know that the bridge was there.

That was it... Tenten left them. She hated to feel like this, but she felt like the brunette had abandoned her. She realized that not only did she want to help Tenten out with whatever she was going through, but she wanted Tenten to help her... Ino did her best to encourage her, but she could never really help her... Tenten left her.

Sakura looked straight ahead like she was waiting for something.

"Sakura..." Ino spoke quietly.

Team 7's kunoichi turned and began to walk with her friend once more. That 'something' she was waiting for wasn't going to come anytime soon...

-----------------------------------

And Chapter 25 is complete... Again, this chpter is quite long, but my hope is that it still felt like a 'light' read as opposed to the heavier NejiTen chapters! You'll notice that this is also the first chapter where a). All major pairings were, in some form, included b). Where characters from different pairings have serious interaction with each other (i.e. Ino and Tenten). You can expect to see more of both cases from now on!

Okay, I won't make any promises, but the next chapter **shouldn't** take too long, and it will be reasonably shorter then the past few chapters.


	27. Chapter 26

Okay... first and foremost I am a second away from committing seppuku for the dishonor I have shown all the fans of this fic by taking over 2 months to update! SO SORRY, you guys, but I tried my best to squeeze out this chapter as soon as possible. But, life isn't always as convenient and willing to allot me the time I need to do my writing. So again, sorry and hopefully my hiatus from this fic hasn't caused me to lose too many readers! lol

This chapter is not as long as I thought it was... but its still pretty lengthy. Enjoy. :)

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"Temari-san... do you understand what we are saying to you?"

The blonde chuunin wasn't quite sure which one of the board members spoke, as her pupils hit the floor the moment the word "termination" left the man's mouth. She didn't have to lift her eyes to them... She could imagine their expressions at this point. The look of quiet triumph... eyes filled with under-stated pride and a power that they wielded with more skill and precision then she could ever hope to wield with her steel fan. Ugh. Politicians... Interestingly enough, this was one of the very rare moments when Temari had no comeback... neither had she the desire to speak even if she had some clever words to say. She was currently in the process of trying to shift this whole meeting into the 'I don't give a damn' area of her mind. It was much harder to do then she expected.

"Your termination is effective immediately, so you don't have to worry about listening to the duration of your former instructor's lecture". The aged woman spoke in the absence of Temari's wit. "Of course, the credits that you have earned from your time in this University are completely transferrable and can be used in another university as well as evidence of your intelligence whenever the Council begins to consider you for promotion to the rank of Jounin."

Without a word, Temari slowly raised her eyes and confirmed that the look on their faces was every bit as underhanded, firm, and serpentine as she pictured in her head. She turned away from them quickly, lest she make it clear to them that she did 'give a damn' about all of this. She didn't dare give them the satisfaction... she made her way toward the double doors.

"_...None of this really makes sense. Something is definitely off here." _

Temari counseled herself as she walked slowly to the doors. The thought first felt like an attempt to comfort herself... but she had a point. 'Our students conduct must be above exceptional?' Pfft. Get real... have any of those idiots ever visited one of her classes on any given weekday? More then half of the students didn't even show up, and the less then half that did show up only went there because it was a convenient place to meet up with their friends. She admitted that she hadn't exactly been the model student... and she admitted that her mind had been on other things as of late, but when she did show up in class she had every intention of doing what was required of her. By all rights, if she was being kicked out of Political Relations, every student who ever made a fart sound during a speech should be getting kicked out as well! This university didn't have many candidates for studentship to begin with, so you would think that they would treasure the ones that they did have. After all, everyone was paying their own money to be here... Oh! The Suna Princess suddenly had an epiphany before her hand even touched the door handle.

"_Those lousy snakes!"_

When she realized what this was really all about, her inner voice jabbed the walls of her mind for not figuring it out soon enough. After all, she was well aware of an old Suna proverb that goes 'For three things only is the Village hidden in Sand moved. The violent south wind draped in the stinging sand, the Kazekage's words when ripe with wrath, and the hand that metes out ryo in secret." Temari knew that the concluding words of the saying was true beyond a shadow of a doubt, but she hadn't imagined that corruption's hand had reached this place, this... sanctuary from a land of war where pure ideals and pacifist profession reigned above the power struggles and the stained kunai. But, she was wrong. The University was receiving budget cuts left and right. They needed money. Temari had plenty of it. It was that simple. Most things in life, she realized, were that simple... The Sand Princess would expect a knock on the door in the coming days. The knock would belong to the hands of the man who would take a healthy 'donation' from the late Kazekage's riches. The donation, of course, would be completely voluntary to the eyes of those who were not supposed to know otherwise. Temari would later receive a letter of pardon from the Board of Education, informing her that she may now return to their school. Hmph. People. If there was anything you could trust less then a person... it was people.

The truth came as a shiver on Temari's back, as though she just saw something vile and dead in the middle of the street. She placed her hand on the cold handle of the door... The funny thing was, had the Board of Education just requested a donation from her publicly, she would have gladly given it to them. She believed in their cause whole-heartedly; and, despite the days of her lax behavior, she was quite zealous for the cause... So zealous, in fact, that she would gladly pay the bribe on the inevitable day that it was asked of her. The heralds of the cause might have been shady... but the cause was not. She needed the herald's education to be part of the cause. This too, was just that simple.

She wrestled in her mind with the thought of just leaving the school without paying the bribe. After all, if the University wasn't taking up all her time, she could... she missed the kids a lot... they needed help on their technique. Yes. She reasoned that if she left the University she could spend a few months in Konoha... giving her ample time to practice techniques with the children. But, those were a fool's thoughts. The reality was that Gaara was about to be elected ruler of all Sand Village, and he would need her support and her insight when he came into power. It would also be a very dark blot on Gaara's record if his elder sister was kicked out of a University for cutting classes. No. She couldn't do that... but it was a temptation, and it did not cease to be a temptation even after she reasoned with herself. Leave the University and stay in Leaf Village.. She couldn't sway the completely silly mind-set that came over her. The mind-set told her that suddenly the University felt a little like prison... and that Konoha felt a lot like freedom.

"WAIT!"

The door swung open with violent force. Had it not been for her refined reflexes, Temari surely would have found herself knocked to the floor by the heavy door's wrath. She jumped back a few feet and stared blankly at the man who stood in the doorway, one surprise piling up after the next in the young woman's mind.

"Sensei!?" She questioned aloud in one word.

"Baki-sama?" The board member who had Temari's file vocalized what the entire room was thinking. "What brings you here?"

The powerful man stared straight ahead at the men and women before him. He approached the table without looking his former student's way. Temari kept her questioning eyes on him as he passed by her side, his left facial cloth threatening to reveal its hidden contents by reason of the slight breeze in the air.

The two jounin who escorted Temari gave the Board a look that waited patiently for orders. One of the Board Members gave them ease by waving his hand, signaling that Baki's attendance was acceptable.

"Not that you aren't welcome to a Board meeting any time you desire." The aged woman smoothly informed him as he made his way closer to the table. "Its just... we were not expecting you today. Your striking entrance has us a little baffled as well."

"I am here to stop you from expelling Shikinrou Temari." Baki spoke simply and boldly, the one eye that was displayed full of enough authority to speak for the one that was covered.

"And how did you come to hear about the Board's decision, I wonder?" The member in the middle of the table spoke firmly. "This hearing was never brought to the attention of the Sunagakure Council."

"I make it my business to know every affair and **scandal** that involves my students!"

A fresh smile arose across the blonde's face. Baki didn't bite his words. Speaking with a double-tongue and feigned respect did not fit his character at all... unless it was ordered to fit his character by a superior. But these days Baki had very few superiors, and the treacherous Board members before him certainly were not them. That was what Temari loved about her former sensei... He became a Councilman after his team all became chuunin, but he didn't think or act like one of them. He brought a sort of simplicity and forwardness to the village's political dealings, seeing the problems and issues for what they were and attacking them head-on. He was invaluable to the late Kazekage's children in his current position. He was exactly the type of person Gaara needed in his corner... An official member of the Council by creed, but a shinobi at heart.

"I see..." The balding man sat forward in his seat. The word scandal did not make him flinch. "Be that as it may, the decisions of the Board is unanimous and final. We will not even entertain thoughts of Shikinrou Temari's expulsion being re-considered. I give you all the honor that is due from your position, Baki-sama, but you have no authority here."

Baki made a low grumbling noise behind closed mouth. His eyes were solid.

"Furthermore..." The aged woman spoke. "We were absolutely justified in this course of action. The girl has missed over a week of her sessions in this University by visiting Konoha, and made it plainly obvious to us just a few moments ago that she was attempting to work our attendance policy to her own advantage. I know that Shikinrou Temari was once your student, but even you must acknowledge the negligence and out-right disrespect of her behavior. Would such a thing be tolerated in the Council you belong to?"

"And has it ever been considered among the Board that she might have had a good reason to frequent the Leaf Village"? Baki spoke with force.

"Her reasons are none of our concern, much less since she did not even bother to write her instructors letters of pardon on the days of her absence." The aged woman stated.

"As I understand it, Temari is one of the most intelligent students you have in this University. Shouldn't her grades be reason enough to allow her to continue attendance, especially after considering the fact that she technically has not violated your attendance policy?"

"And was she not expecting us to use that type of reasoning when she willfully decided to take breaks in Konoha?" The balding man, once again, could not resist the pressure to project a snide smirk.

Temari's smile was beginning to disappear. She lowered her head. She realized what Baki realized, as he grumbled under his breath and diverted his eyes from the Board momentarily.

"_Temari... Your attitude has finally gotten you in a huge mess. It is making it very hard to vouch for you." _

Baki voiced both of their realization in his thoughts. Temari, in her own mind, agreed. Surely the men and women of the Board were wicked, blood-thirsty leeches of the worst kind... but 'reason' was on their side. Her tendency to be deliberately rude created a huge rock of reason for these people... a rock large enough to house all sorts of vile, slithering insects beneath its base. They were hiding under reason... rapidly, the Sand Princess was losing hope in the situation. Baki tried, and she was rightly grateful for his attempts... but...

Temari closed her eyes for a moment when she thought of the possibility of her legal pass to other villages being revoked because of this incident. She thought about how that would create great scandal in the Shikinrou family... which was the last thing Gaara needed considering his coming ascension. And then she thought about not returning to Leaf... she exhaled.

-------------

"_Hm. It seems our economy has been brought back to a level that is fitting for one of the 5 Great Ninja Villages in only a year's time... I honestly didn't think that an old drunken, gambling wench was up to the challenge..." ,_

He took a long, silent sip of the tall glass of foam-heavy ale before carefully placing it back down on the dresser. He leaned further back in his recliner afterwards, his eyes never leaving the tiny black print of "The Konoha Times" for a second.

"Daddy... I'm still standing here."

"_I wonder if they have anything on the village's public relations with Hidden Sand Village?" _

The blonde middle-aged man slowly turned the page of the newspaper with much focus being placed deliberately on what he was reading. Even as the paper was bunched up with a small feminine hand and replaced by the ominous threats of blue eyes, his eyes remained focused on the area he would have been reading.

"Daddy!... I'm STILL standing here!" The blonde repeated herself.

The middle aged man nonchalantly, almost lazily, pulled the paper out of her grasp with one tug and a stern gaze. He straightened out the newspaper and used it as a wall to block out his daughter's face once more.

"I am aware of that, cupcake." The blonde man spoke with sharp boredom and a strong patience that was commonplace among any man who lived with a teenage girl. "I was ignoring you."

"Why are you ignoring meeee?!?" the blonde whined, placing a piercing emphasis on the word 'me'.

"I already said 'no'. I don't plan on changing my answer."

"But why?!?"

"Because I said so."

Ino simply sucked her teeth and waited for a moment. The blonde man rolled his eyes and sighed. He knew better then to try to get by with just an 'I said so'. It was an official rule that the statement 'Because I said so' loses all meaning and validity once the daughter gets her first teen magazine or cosmetic set. Damn. Ino was in a dangerous age group. She was old enough to need rational reason behind his decisions, but not smart enough to actually receive that reasoning. This was the 'dark ages' of parenthood. Inoichi reminisced on how cute his little girl was when she was too young to think for herself.

"Fine then... I said 'no' because I know I can't trust that you will do the right thing if I do this for you. You've disappointed me in the past when I made such deals with you."

"I will this time, I swear it!"

"Ino, I said 'no'."

"But-"

"No."

"Please!"

"No."

"Your jus-"

"No"

"But..._** DADDDYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!"**_

The young kunoichi finally decided that now was as good a time as any to use the 'super whiny name call' technique.

Inochi sighed. Ino could tell by his shift in position on his recliner that he had stopped trying to read the paper. She figured he was at the point of reconsideration. She knew that the whine was invading his mind and tugging at his heart strings. She knew it was only a matter of time now.

"Nice try. That doesn't work on me."

"_Damn!" _

Slowly but surely, Ino was beginning to get desperate.

"This isn't fai-"

"No."

She tightened her eyes.

"JUST LISTE-"

"No."

Ino paused for a moment. She thought to give him the puppy dogs eyes, but that damned newspaper was in the way. She threw up her hands in a hissy fit.

"You are the worst dad ever!"

"Really? I wonder if any royalties come with that title." He spoke in the spirit of a chuckle.

"ITS NOT FUNNY! Any other dad would say yes!"

"Would you like to put that theory to the test? I can put you up for adoption if you're that sure of yourself."

"... I'll never forgive you if you don't do this." She spoke with dark eyes.

"Meh. You'll be fine."

"No, I won't. I'll run away and never come back!"

"Can I get that in writing?"

The infuriated Yamanaka released a ghastly sigh before crossing her arms and storming off. She stopped for a moment when a rather interesting memory surfaced in her mind. She turned around and walked back to her father with a devil's grin.

"I just remembered something that I have been meaning to ask you about... just how much does mommy know about that cute little lady you were talking to at the shop just the other day?.. You both seemed VERY close, what with the joking and the laughing.."

"That was my sister." Inoichi responded flatly.

"You mean that was aunt Misa!?!?"

"The one and only."

"Wow... she has lost a lot of weight, hasn't she? Heh heh." Ino laughed nervously.

"She sure has..."

"Well... you were still... looking at her funny!" A wad of sweat rolled down Ino's back.

"If you don't mind, Ino, I would like to get back to reading now."

Ino dropped her head.

"...You are so mean..."

She began to drag herself back into her room in defeat. Sakura was waiting in there anyway.

Inoichi reached one hand out for his glass of ale, but hesitated. He slowly rested his hand on the arm rest of the recliner, and tapped his fingers against the violet fabric.

"Two-thirds..."

"Hm?" Ino turned around.

"You do two-thirds of the flower shop deliveries for three weeks in addition to working over-time for three weeks, and we have a deal." The blonde jounin spoke, still not seeing the interaction as a good enough reason to lower his paper.

Ino sucked her teeth. "I'm not the delivery girl! What will Mihoshi do for those weeks?"

"She's been working really hard lately, running back and forth from the flower shop. I have been meaning to give her a break for a long time now."

Ino made her way back to her father's side.

"Hmmm... I'll do one-third."

"You'll do two."

"One-half!"

"Two-thirds."

"One-half, and I'll throw in two additional days of over-time!"

"Deal."

The entire recliner shifted suddenly as Ino practically tackled her father from the side. She forcefully threw her arms around his neck, and planted a harsh kiss on the side of his forehead. The newspaper fell out of his hands. He grunted in shock, and seemingly gagged from his daughter's punishing grip.

"MUU-WAH!" Ino produced a smacking noise from her lips as though a suction cup was pulled from her father's skin. "Thanks, daddy! You're the best!"

Inoichi managed to take in some desperately needed fresh air as his daughter finally released him and made her way back up the stairs to her room and to that waiting Haruno child.

"You will begin your over-time tomorrow!" Inoichi called out to his retreating daughter as he heard the pattering of feet running up the stairs.

"**Okay**!" The door to her room slam shut.

The blonde jounin guided his large, bushy ponytail away from his face and to the back of his head after the attack was over. He picked up his newspaper and leaned back into his recliner while exhaling deeply. He quickly reached for his ale... and a small vein erupted on the side of his forehead when he heard the glass shatter against the carpet.

...She was definitely much cuter when she couldn't think for herself.

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The Board was beginning to grow impatient. It was rude enough of him to interrupt the hearing in the first place, but it was infinitely ruder to waste all of their time by not leaving after a sound defeat. A man should know when he is beat and he should accept it. Anything less was childish.

While Baki's silent persistence was little more then an annoyance to most of the Board, a single member with auburn hair was beginning to feel something close to fearful agitation. There was definitely something uneasy about this... about the look on the former jounin instructor's face. The Board member somehow knew that things were only going to get much more difficult from this point on.

"With Temari's grades... she could easily keep up with students in classes that usually take years of enrollment to get into... if she only had the opportunity." Baki curiously spoke aloud to himself.

"I think we have heard enough." The auburn-haired member spoke harshly, wary of Baki's brainstorming. "With all due respect, Baki-sama, this is getting ridiculous. The decision has been made prior to this hearing. The Board is unanimous in this decision. We have been here long enough, and I believe I speak for everyone here when I say that our time can be better spent elsewhere."

And on that note, many of the board members began to stand up from their seats at the table. The one member with Temari's file stuffed the papers into a manilla envelope, and also stood up.

Temari frowned and shot a sympathetic look toward Baki. His straight forward approach to problems was one of the qualitites that Temari respected most about him... and it was apparently his weakness in this situation. Baki was straight, but he was not dealing with straight people. The concept of the quickest way to a point being a straight line was for mathematicians. In the world of politics, there is always a route to a point that might get you there faster then going straight. There's always a short-cut. The politicians who honestly believe there is no short-cuts to get to the desired points simply haven't been around the block enough times... The blonde chuunin, like the Board of Education, was also getting ready to leave the room.

"You are not going to expel Temari..." The slightest hint of a smirk inched its way up Baki's lips. "You are going to elevate her to the next grade!"

The board members who were getting up to leave stood motionless. The two jounin guards muffled their snickers.

"_Oh no... Sensei has lost it."_

A wad of sweat rolled down Temari's back.

The balding member, not even attempting to mask his grin anymore, stood before his seat. He felt no reason to sit down. This was going to be over quickly.

"We are... confused, Baki-sama." The board member chuckled. "Do you think you can elaborate?"

"It is my understanding that the next group of courses Temari would have been taking once she passed her current courses are the very last step to becoming a licensed liaison and/or ambassador. The students are sent on field trips to Konoha and other hidden shinobi villages to get hands-on experience with traveling as well as to familiarize themselves with the villages that Sunagakure will be developing relations with." Baki explained.

"That is correct."

"One of Temari's reasons for being absent from her courses was that she was traveling back and forth from Konoha. By moving her up to the next grade, she will be taking many field trips over to Konoha anyway. This would satisfy both the university's requirements and Temari's own personal reasons for being in Konoha, whatever they may be. Temari's G.P.A clearly puts her in a position where allowing her to pass onto the next grade level is not only acceptable, but it is logical. And doing so would also show the Council, as well as the rest of Sand Village, that your University is a home to brilliant men and women who are able to complete advanced 4-year courses in less then 3 years. If the Council were to see such intelligence in your students, they may think twice about cutting your budgets once more."

"Hmph" Temari smirked.

That was some great thinking on her sensei's part. Even if things don't turn out how he hoped they would, she would be sure to thank him for all of this.

"That... is a very well though-out plan." Began the balding Board member. "However, I am still waiting for you to give us a good reason to ignore Temari-san's rude behavior and initiate a plan where everything works in her favor. Why should the Board reward her incompetence with something as rare and grand as a grade elevation?"

"Because if you don't... I can no longer ensure you that I will remain a supporter of this University."

Desperation and worry suddenly spread on the faces of the Board members. The aged woman, for the first time since she got here, was no longer smiling. A smile pulled Temari's face muscles to an uncomfortable extent. Maybe her old sensei wasn't as much of a straight-shooter as she once thought.

"I take it by your silence that you all know what that would mean for this University..."

They knew all to well what it would mean. The man who stood before them was the only supporter of this University and its ideals in the entire Sunagakure Council. What little leniency the Council did show for the school of ambassadors was all directly or indirectly a result of Baki's support. If he turned his back on the University, the budget cuts would increase to a point that no amount of bribery and extortion would be able to quench. It would only be a few short months before the University would crumble completely... Up until now the Board more or less forbore to show him the respect and fear that their delicate situation demanded because they never imagined that he would threaten them with something like this. They clearly did not anticipate that Temari meant **this** much to the tanned man.

The balding man rested his hands against the table. He lowered his head for a moment in thought... and raised it with cryptic and cold eyes. For some reason, it was no longer a problem for him to keep that smirk of his from exposing itself.

"Baki-sama... does the maintenance of our ideals mean so little to you that you would use it as leverage to keep a former student of yours in our courses?"

"No.. The ideals that you and this University appear to hold means more to me then a civilian like you would ever know. It is not the ideals that mean little to me... it is this Board that means little to me."

Baki stared into the balding man with enough fire to cause him to sweat. The Board member eventually diverted his eyes in shame. Yes... this meeting was seeming more and more like the battlefield to the former sensei. Yes... this was his territory now.

"Do not get ahead of yourselves, Board members." Baki continued. "Do not think for a second that you are the only ones who hold ideals of world peace. The ideals are not dependant on this University's survival. The cry for peace will continue to sound long after this University meets its end. I have no problem being the downfall of this school... if anything, I might be doing the cry for peace a favor by allowing this University to fall, considering its founders and board members are not above using illegal and unethical means to accomplish their own ends... like I said, you **are **going to elevate Shikinrou Temari to the next grade."

You could practically hear the pride break within the room.

The aged woman, now looking almost a little sick, raised her head and spoke.

"... If we do this... and Temari-san's grades are shown to be less then satisfactory by the end of the semester... she will be expelled from this University as originally planned..."

"Agreed." Baki stated simply.

The board members all stared at each other sympathetically, and they all slowly began to nod their heads.

"Shikinrou Temari..." The balding Board member struggled to keep his face from falling under the weight of a huge frown. "By unanimous vote of the Board of Education... you are hereby promoted to the next and final grade of your curriculum. Courses included in this grade are Field Operation. This course requires you to leave Sunagakure and to travel to various villages. During these travels you will be meeting the nobles and heads of-"

The Sand Princess had tuned out the Board member's jabbering and was no sooner musing over how... convenient this all was. She wanted to stop smiling and to give her face muscles a rest, but she just couldn't. Everything just worked out so perfectly. She thought for a moment that maybe someone up there was looking out for her.. But remembered she didn't believe in that kind of stuff.

"... Because the class of students in your new grade have already left for Konoha to complete their Field Operations assignments, it is recommended that you begin packing and leave for Konoha as soon as possible. You will be there for approximately 5 months."

Temari caught just enough of the concluding words of the speech to be instructed on what she would do.

"Is that all?" Temari responded.

"Yes..." The balding member spoke lowly. "This hearing is dismissed."

The board members walked out of the room one-by-one with a zombiefied swagger. They kept their heads lowered so that Temari would not look them in the eyes.

When the last board member made his exit, the only people left in the room were Temari and Baki... Her former sensei turned around to her and began to close the distance between them both as Temari spoke.

"Sensei... I don't know how to thank you." Temari spoke with a hint of shame and lowered eyes.

"Passing your classes is more then enough, Temari." Baki now stood before her. "If you continue to slack off as you have been doing, then everything I just did for you will mean nothing."

"I know... and don't worry. I plan to keep on top of my work this time."

"I would guess so..." Baki raised the only eyebrow that was visible to Temari. "Whatever it is that keeps pulling you back to Hidden Leaf village must be really important to you."

A raspberry blush that painted her cheeks answered the question better then Temari could ever verbalize, but she tried to anyway.

"Well, sort of... just a bunch of academy students, really."

"I.. see..." Baki spoke in the spirit of a question with a confused face. His eyes quickly went down to the chuunin's neck.

"Temari, how many times have I told you about wearing your forehead protector over your neck!" He rebuked her.

"But I like it there! It looks better." Temari argued back with sweat rolling down her back. "As long as the Sand Village symbol is clearly displayed, I am allowed to wear the protector wherever I want. You told us that yourself when we became genin."

"But you are more then a shinobi now. You are going to be an ambassador soon, Temari... and an ambassador must dress above exceptional at all times. Didn't you read that scroll I gave you?"

Temari sighed as Baki untied the forehead protector around her neck, and brought it around her forehead for her. She supposed that old habits as an instructor die hard.

"Besides..."

After tying the head gear in its rightful place, Baki stepped back to get a better look at her.

"I think it looks better over your forehead."

He smirked.

"Hmph." she responded.

"Anyway, you had better go home and get packing. Because you need month's worth of supplies to take with you, a carriage will take you to Leaf this time. With the strength of the horses you will be in Konoha in less then 2 days..."

And with that, Baki walked away from the chuunin and left the room as well... feeling a little better then he did before he met up with his old student.

Temari wanted to move the forehead protector back down to her neck the moment she heard the door shut... but chose not to. She considered it a very small way of paying Baki back for what he just did. It was ironic that she wore a tunic-skirt that pretty much left nothing to the imagination but never really felt naked until her neck was exposed... she sighed, tried to wipe the ridiculous smile off of her face once more, and failed... after a moment, she left the room as well.

... She decided to give the University a donation before she left Sunagakure. After all, she supported the cause.

--------------------------------

The white light of the sun seized the middle portion of the large empty room and allowed darkness to reign in its four cold corners. In the midst of the room, the white light also created monstrous and towering shadows beneath the feet of the elders that stood gallant and sure. The over-powering light of the morning star that bathed the elders all poured into the room through a huge, single spherical opening in the stone wall. There was no seats or no tables. Just the sun. There was no other source of light. A lamp, torch, candle, or any other form of lesser light then the sun's radiance dare not give its glow within the stone walls of the sacred room... much less now that there was dealings being dealt in the room at the moment.

The Court of the Sun... or so it was called.

Whenever a trial was being conducted in The Court of The Sun, the only light that could shine was the sun's itself. It was used as a symbol of the 'True and Immutable Light of Justice' shining down on whatever case the courtroom was judging... bringing light to the darkness that surrounded a particular misdeed in question. To bring in a lamp was therefore likened unto introducing half-truths and half-lies into the sacred proceeding. Such a thing was never tolerated.

Hiashi stood there in the infallible light, against the respected elders of his own clan, unblinking in his sharp stare. He didn't look away from them. He couldn't. To look away was to fall. To fall was to appear weak. To appear weak was to admit to be unable to stand the light of the truth, and therefore unable to lead the Hyuuga clan properly. He wouldn't fall before them... though he had every right to crumble. The words they told... that wicked message they brought to his ears... to be able to stand before such a message was like facing a direct blow from a bull without even staggering. His wounded eyes stayed straight, he commanded his clenched fist not to shake, and mocked his foolish heart for even thinking of breaking.

"We, the Elders of the Hyuuga Clan, will now make an end of this trial." One of them spoke, his aged voice grand and rippling with power.

Hiashi drank his emotions by swallowing the air in his mouth. Sweat couldn't help but bead on his forehead. He knew what he had to do next.

"Does our lord understand the case that was brought before him this day, as well as the accusations against Neji Hyuuga by the mouths of two witnesses beneath the light of the sun?"

The head of the Hyuuga clan nodded his head.

"I do understand."

"And does our lord understand that Neji Hyuuga has been found guilty under the light of the sun of all that he was accused of doing?"

"I do understand."

"And does our lord understand that the appointed judgment must be passed over Neji Hyuuga as soon as possible?"

"... I do understand this."

"Then judgment has been passed." The one Elder concluded dominantly. "This trial is now brought to its end. All are dismissed."

The sound that boomed with each step the Hyuuga elders took within the hollowed-out room was almost deafening to the Hyuuga Head. His eyes stayed strong on the passing elders as they each left the light of the sun, blatant smiles decorating their faces. Impurity and a tainted light glimmered in their pearl eyes. No... he would not fall before such men.

"Do not blame yourself, Hiashi-sama...""

He spoke in a loud, slithery whisper to the side of the Hyuuga's head, their eyes facing opposite directions from each other. The voice belonged to Hagenhou-sama... the man who had called this trial into order.

"Let not my words offend my lord, but I must speak the truth... he was a trouble-maker from the beginning."

Now Hiashi's fists began to rebel against them, and they did indeed shake under the pressure of Hagenhou's words.

"You have given that boy chance-after-chance in the past, and yet he continued to grow more obstinate with each passing year. He has flared murderous intent at every Main House member of this clan at one point or another. He learned jutsus that were meant only for our House WITHOUT your consent or guidance. He admittedly began to straighten up for a year or two, but **now** he insults you by disobeying a direct commandment spoken from your own lips!"

Hiashi breathed deeply and closed his eyes, inwardly attempting to syphon out the poisonous words of this viper. He held his peace and his manner.

"Hiashi-sama... you have tried your best to lead Neji down the right path... but in the end, he has only proven the dangers of a mere Branch House member ascending to our level, and given us further reason to 'tighten the leach' around their entire social class."

Deliberate provocation.

"I, and the rest of the elders with me, sympathize with your great loss this day."

Lies.

"Unfortunately... this was Neji's fate all along."

The last straw.

"My judgment has been passed. Hagenhou, your words are not necessary, neither are they welcome. Go. Leave me." Hiashi spoke quickly and fiercely.

"... Even as my lord wishes."

Hagenhou bowed his head piously before snatching the hand of Ryo and walking off. For once his oafish son had made him very proud this day. After all, it was his testimony that won them the case... Dried tears and a runny nose showcased how proud Ryo was concerning what his dad just forced him to do.

He liked Neji...

The last person to leave the room was Baldy-san... he sheepishly glanced into the eyes of a man who was so high above... a man that, despite his social height, was now brought down to the level of a broken mule because of his own unwilling testimony. There were no words to describe how sympathetic and heart-broken the Branch House member was by his own actions, so he prayed that the glance of a lowly servant would suffice Hiashi instead.

Hiashi was now alone in the room. He dropped his head momentarily, and quickly raised it up before his chin hit the base of his neck as though it were a gag reflex. He casually and slowly walked over to one of the blackened corners of the room, and curiously began running his fingers over the stone wall. All the other hyuuga buildings in this manor were made of the traditional and intricate weaving of a straw-like material that was knit into tight nets along the sliding doors and walls. His eyes became tense with unexpressed grief. His breathing became heavy and was not that far from deep sobs. His bowels screamed out with a grotesque sorrow. His heart was filled with unfocused fury. He couldn't breath for a moment. Slowly, veins full of chakra pushed itself out to the sides of his forehead. With a violent holler he cracked the surface of the stone wall with a vehement strike from an open palm. Sound exploded in the court room, soon followed by the light patter of broken cobblestone hitting the floor. The Clan's head had never longed for air so long in his life. He fell down on one knee in obeisance to some unseen power that was greater then him. Long hair curtained his face.

"...Hiashi-sama??" His personal Branch House servant came to the door warily and quietly. "There was a noise... is everything all right?"

At the soft questions of the Hyuuga at the door entrance, all actions from Hiashi seemed to cease. His heavy heaving became so low that it was as if he stopped breathing altogether. He raised his head to the servant, and the servant held back a gasp from the look in his eyes. Because Hiashi was standing in the dark part of the room, all that was seen was lavender eyes never so fierce.

"...Find my nephew..." His words were as the fire of a dragon.

"...Find my nephew and the girl he trains with... **and bring them here**."

The eyes in the darkness gave their command, and said not a word more.

-----------------------------------

As the setting sun began to sink to the west of Konoha, The Hyuuga prodigy had stumbled into the east entrance. Neji would have preferred the word 'stumble' to 'enter' because it rang much truer to him in his current state. He didn't decide anything anymore. He just stumbled back and forth, left to right with no more concept of how long he would be able to walk...or where he would land if/when he fell.

Still, it was nothing to cry about. He had just returned from such much needed alone time in an undisclosed location, and he now felt that he had a good idea what his next move would be concerning Tenten. He might have been stumbling and fumbling in life at this point, but what was definitely in his control... whatever was **definitely** under his rule, he decided he would 'rule' it well and with discretion. Yes... there was no reason to cry at all anymore.

He just needed to find Tenten before anything else.

He dawned a look of renewed focus as he made his way through the village. A few faces seemed moderately surprised to see him walking about the streets as though he hadn't disappeared for a full day. It appeared he was missed to a certain extent...

He noted a group of Branch House servants he recognized walking his way just as he made his way to the lower-class housing district where his teammate lived. He expected Hiashi to send out some Hyuuga's to go looking for him once they realized he was gone. It was convenient... he needed to do some explaining to his uncle too.

And what luck... Tenten was with them.

---------------------------

a/c: Done and done! I decided to give this chapter sort of a common theme among its main characters... that theme being that Temari Hiashi and Ino all stood before a 'judge(s)' of some sort that pretty much decided the course of the rest of their lives (Ino's little bid in this fic will make more sense in later chapters). At first the irony wasn't intentional, but I saw it was going that way naturally and put more effort into making this a chapter of 'judgment'.

I have also dishonored you all by making ShikaTem so sub-par when compared to the other pairings. All the other pairings I am reasonably satisfied with (NejiTen turned out almost just as I expected. InoCho turned out better then I expected), but sometimes I am actually embarrassed to re-read the ShikaTem scenes I have written thus far! cries. But... things are about to get supremely interesting when it comes to the brat and the cry-baby. Hopefully I will redeem myself in the coming chapters.. If I do not.. seppuku will be committed (it solves everything)!

I wish I could say that the next update is coming soon, but I can't. My schedule is too erratic to give definite dates, and I no longer want to disappoint you guys by doing so. I can only promise that I will do my best to get the next chapter out (which will likely be one of the best chapters thus far) ASAP. Again... SO SORRY for making you wait so long for this chapter. :(


	28. Chapter 27

Hey there folks! Long time no see! Heh heh heh... I feel the need to say I am sorry, but most of my readers seem to understand how life gets in the way so I will not apoligize for the lateness of this chapter. Just hope I still have some readers left after 3+ months of no updates.

Hope this short but powerful chapter is to your liking...

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Tough veins jutted from their foreheads with forboding power as they steady guarded their leader's home and simultaneously scanned the surrounding area in the dark-blue sky. Any Hyuuga caught with his Byakugan activated at this time, whether he was looking toward the Hiashi's abode or not, was to be punished without question by the guards. Nothing was allowed to go near the house for any reason, not even the Head's own daughters. The walls of the Hyuuga manor were indeed very thin, but Hiashi made sure to not let that be a disadvantage in this instance.

Within the sliding doors of Hiashi's home, the silence was terrifying. It was the type of quiet that haunted the air in a heart-gripping moment in one's life... like the quiet that fills the gap between an ambushed man and his captive's blade held so very close to his throat. The only thing more horrid then the quiet itself is the life-changing event that is sure to break that quiet. The outcome of such quiet held little release in most cases... and every heart in the room did shake because of it.

Soft white illumanited the room as it had just become dark enough outside to make candles inside the home a necessity.

Hiashi paced back and forth with his eyes set on the bowing youth much like a caged beast strides back and forth and eyes its many spectators.

"So... it is true then."

His words fill the room, and Neji's head fell slightly forward and he held his bow to answer his uncle's quiry. His shins were planted into the mat, and both palms were held flatly against the same. His eyes fled the very feet of the head of the Hyuuga Clan, much less looking into his eyes. Shame cast a shadow over the Hyuuga Prodigy, and his face was grim and black. Panicked breathing forced out all memories of his own plan to rectify the situation. He inhaled the reality that it pleased the unseen powers to bring about his ruin.

Tenten buried her eyes into the mat where her shins rested. She dared to cast troubled eyes on the Hyuuga boy to her side, and though she was right next to him she found it a challenge to make out his facial expression. Her stares came back empty, as Neji never returned the sentiment. And as for Hiashi Hyuuga... she had very few things to give him. She had no words, no respect, no reverance, no regrets... she felt powerfully ashamed, but that came from memories brought back by sitting near her unstable boyfriend and not from sitting before his uncle. For THAT man... all she had was loathing that shrunk back to healthy fear which kept her bowing in his prescence. A child might have hated thunder storms, but only a foolish child would run outside and attempt to fight one.

With his question answered, Hiashi began to take heavy breaths as he continued pacing back and forth. His dark face contorted under the pressure of his own sorrow and confusion. His breathing grew ever heavier.

"My nephew... what is my sin?"

His question sounded more like a frantic plea as the speed behind his pacing increased.

"What is my sin, Neji? What evil have I done to you that has driven you to do this? The HEAVENS THEMSELVES bear witnness that I have worked endlessly to atone for the wrong that was done to your father! When you gave me your hatred, I gave you my home and my protection. When I felt the evil and mischeif in your heart toward not only me, but my own daughter, I never reprimanded you. I turned a blind eye to your misdeeds and crimes against the Main House because I knew that it was my burden for my sin against Hizashi and I KNEW that someday you would grow to be legendary... but now my hands are tied, and our laws demand that I take action against you, and FOR WHAT? Because you mocked me and refused to hold up your end of the agreement!"

Somehow, Tenten could feel every word pierce Neji as though they were directed to her. She felt an intense tightening about her chest as Hiashi's words hit her love full force. A dead frown appeared on her face as she felt a sob inch its way up her throat.

Hiashi sighed with anxiety.

"...You have shamed me, yourself, this clan... and you have shamed your father."

Neji closed his eyes almost calmly as though he were falling to sleep. Hiashi studied the boy's face for a moment.

"...You do not realize the severity of your actions yet, do you?

His words lacked its sorrow for a moment, and appeared to be a genuine question. Hiashi closed his eyes as he explained what awaited his nephew.

"Neji, you are a marked man. The Main House has, without end, plotted your destruction the moment they deemed you a Branch House member that they could not control. They feared your progress... you knew this. For years I alone have stood between you and them and have kept you alive. But now that you have directly disobeyed my words, the Elders have gone over my head and mainpulated our manuscripts to demand that the maxmium sentence be carried out for your crimes."

Neji didn't move an inch, but Tenten rose her head sharply at Hiashi's words.

"Maximum sentence!?!?" She whispered aloud.

"Neji... in two days... you are to be exiled from both this clan and this village without any possibility of ever returning to either."

"WHAT!"

O, how quickly his sweetheart did jump to her feet and to his rescue!

"NO... NO!! T-THAT CAN'T BE! YOU CAN'T!!"

Tenten shouted and spilled her hasty words without any structure or distrection by reason of the heat in her heart. She faced Hiashi for the first time.

"We can and we already have. The Elders have left hours ago to inform the Hokage of our decision."

His words were dark and as steel, not even turning to look the girl's way.

"But your clan does NOT have the power to exile people from a village that doesn't even belong to them!"

"The Hyuuga clan chose to settle in Konoha and offer this village our strength on the condition that we are alotted the right to deal with our own clan members any way we deem fit without the Hokage's involvement. This treaty has been active since the days of Konoha's conception... we just never had to use it until now."

"But this is stupid! What if a Hidden Cloud troop were to find Neji alone in the forests? They would kill him, take his eyes, learn about the Byakugan and Konoha can have a potential war on their hands!"

Hiashi cast his fevered eyes on the child with a emotion that was much too vile to be counted as only disgust.

"The curse seal is designed to destroy his eyes if he should be killed... and the Hyuuga Clan trust that Neji would take his own life to activate that seal should a capture situation arise. It would be the least he could do..."

Hiashi's eyes fell to the disgrace. Neji said not a word, neither did he weary himself to stand with the others.

"No..." Tenten never felt so lost as she remained standing with her eyes on the ground. She looked back at the Hyuuga Head. "Hiashi-sama, you must do something... there has to be a way around this! You can't let this happen!"

"Do you think I have not tried!?" Hiashi shot back in a tone that brought Tenten back to herself. "You presume too much, child... I have sought for answers in our manuscipts, but I can find nothing. Not only that, but the elders were more relentless in Neji's punishment then ever before... I fear that if I attempt to use my authoity to override the judgment that my children may face assasination attempts from my own people."

Tenten dropped her head with her mouth still open, inaudible words still being formed by her lips. Fantasias of her jumping came to her... Jumping so high and far away from the world and its sorrow. She had to go... She had to get out of this moment.

Hiashi silently studied his nephew who remained montionless. His face twisted more and more with every solid second.

"So you will say nothing..."

Neji answered the quiry with silence.

"If there is any honor or respect left for me inside of you, answer me this question. Then you may leave my sight... I know you have violated my commandament, but I do not know to what extent." For some reason Hiashi could not figure out, he detected doubt in that Branch House member's testimony. "You have been tried for both disobeying me and violating rights that are only available to a married Hyuuga. Is the second accuastion true, Neji?"

A drop, whether from sweat from his brow or a tear from his eye, wet the mat beneath his heavy head.

"Yes... It is true". Neji spoke as though he would vomit at any second.

"NO IT ISN'T!" Tenten hollered out without restraint. "Neji, what are you saying?! We didn't do anything!"

He said no more. In an instant Tenten was lifting him to his feet by his shirt and crying in his blackened face.

"Why are you doing this, Neji! Tell the truth! Tell him we stopped... WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE THIS!!"

Tenten sobbed as she shook him violently. Neji shifted his eyes away from her wet face, finding it very painful to look at. With eyes made filmy by tears, she slowly released Neji from her grasp. Listlessly, Neji went back into a bowing stance... Tenten never thought she would live to see the day that she pitied him.

"Hiashi-sama, I assure you that whoever told you that me and Neji had sex was lying! We didn't do anything! H-We stopped ourselves before going too far! PLEASE do not charge him with a crime he didn't commit!"

Hiashi's lavenders couldn't grow any fiercer, and had the young weapon mistress been standing up for herself, it would have disarmed her immediately. She approached him as she sung her heart to him, her voice strained and bruised and her chocolate eyes quickly melting.

"I-I pushed him to go that far! He didn't even want to see me anymore! He tried so hard to obey you! It's my fault!... Punish me instead! I'll pay any price! I'll do anything you wan't but don't do this to Neji!"

Hiashi scoffed as the girl fell to her knees before his feet and sobbed into his mat.

"Please forgive him just this once... I'll... I'll do anything you want... He can't leave me!"

Neji suddenly shut his eyes tightly and his bowels churned through her loud and endless crying. It was erratic like a five year olds... and it was every bit as damaging as her uncle's condemnation.

O, how he hated to see her cry.

"Tch... to think I once considered you to be a suitable niece-in-law."

"You foolish little girl... you ensnare my nephew with your subtilty and now you would attempt to entreat me with your sentimental offers... Your presumption knows no bounds and your humility is altogether useless."

His words smoked with hell fire.

"HOW. DARE. YOU shed tears as though you were the one to suffer loss this day. Neji was on the right path... everything was going fine and then **you **decided to dig your claws into him. Look at him... look at what you have done to my nephew..."

He stared at his bowing nephew and apprentice who painted the perfect picture of his heart at the moment.. low and broken.

"What more can you do to him? Would you break him even further with your flattery? No... understand this one thing, you shameless child... the idea that Neji will be away from you is the only thing that gives me comfort in his future away from me."

Tenten kept her face ever so deep into the mat beneath her. She gladly took whatever the Hyuuga head decided to feed her.

"Your cunning is great... even I began to succumb to your spell, but know that my eyes are now open. I will not allow you to victimize yourself, nor will I give you sympathy."

"Stand up and go home... I never want to see your whorish face again."

Neji's eyes opened and lavender irises shot up to the face of his uncle.

"From this day on, do not speak to my daughters.. do not even look their way should you see them in the street... I will not allow them to be contaminated with your filth."

The brunette did not so much as raise her head to his words. She remained before his feet with her face to the floor and Hiashi did not weary himself to kick her away.

All at once, Neji's body from head-to-toe began to shake violently with hot anger. His eyes were filled with rage unquenchable and his brows went crooked.

"Were my words not clear? I want you out of my home and out of my manor right now. I invited you to hear first-hand the trouble you have brought to Neji, and now that you have heard I have no further use for you... Away with you. I will not abide the pleas of a whore."

"Do not speak to her like that."

Neji spoke lowly with doom impendant. Hiashi turned to him immediately.

"What did you just say?!?!"

"You go too far. Do NOT speak to her like that!"

Neji arose to his feet and veins erupted to the sides of his forehead. Tenten lifted her head and stared wide-eyes at her love. A moment of betrayal and crushed hope passed over his uncle's face, but was soon replaced with rage and growing amusement. A coy smirk appeared.

"O, Neji... you really are a fool. You would show your Byakugan to me? You would raise your hand against me for this harlot?"

"I said STOP IT!"

Without thinking and allowing time to catch up with him, Neji charged toward his uncle with all his frustration. The wind struggled to follow his movements and a cloud of air and dust blasted against Tenten's face. She coughed. So mighty was the gust of wind that the flames of the some of the candles did scurry away and left Hiashi's home in semi-darkness. When the clouds cleared... Neji and Hiashi stood completely still before each other. Neji's index and middle finger touched the fabric of his uncle's robe, and Hiashi's index and middle finger were raised before his own eyes as though he were moments from performing ninjutsu. They were joined at the eyes, and the only movement came from the heaving of their chests. They were like living statues... had it not been one of the worst moments of her life, she could almost appreciate the beauty of it all.

Hiashi searched for his senses... his focus... any part of his nephew that he could find in him. All he could perceive was confusion mingled with murderous intent.

Neji stared back with a savage visage. His eyes were beastly. To see Neji with such a lack of control and restraint was nigh blasphemous. Even in the days of his early rebellion he was able to maintain his composure. Now... he was an angel scorched in black flames. He was stained in madness. He had lost his mind...

He had lost his mind... but the Hyuuga Prodigy wondered why that was all he lost. Tenten may not have recognized the sign Hiashi was now making with his fingers, but he did. He should have been langushing on the ground from the activation of his curse seal, but the pain never came. His uncle was only using it as a reminder... a re-establishment of a phase in their lives that they were both sure they passed some time ago.

"DO NOT HARM HIM!"

Hiashi shouted as his guards came crashing into his home ready to defend their leader. The hasty movements of the genius did not escape the guards Byakugan. Finally Tenten arose to her feet and stepped into somewhat a defensive stance, also ready to deal with the servants should they dare to lay a finger on Neji.

Hiashi never stopped staring at his nephew.

"What happened to us, Neji?"

The complete confusion escaped his lips, and right then Hiashi lost his battle-hardened glare. Neji continued to breathe harshly with anger, but he diverted his eyes... He never heard Hiashi speak like this before. So tenderly and innocently did he stare at his nephew. It was nigh blasphemous.

"Why did this happen? We were doing so well... I thought..."

Hiashi stopped himself. He shut his eyes, released his pose, and turned his back to his nephew.

"Tomorrow night will be the last night you spend in Hidden Leaf village... you should begin packing and saying your farewells."

Hiashi slowly made his way to a sliding door to the right. He barely made any noise as he closed the door behind himself.

The guards watched cautiously as Neji turned around and walked out of his uncle's home. Tenten followed after him through the Hyuuga compound for a while... but painfully decided to leave when she realized that Neji walked faster the closer she got to him.

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Tenten sat alone in a tree just above an old forest clearing, her knees pulled up to her pink vest.

_"He can't leave me..."_

Hiashi stirred all night in his bed, cold sweat caking his body.

_"What is my sin..."_

Tears streamed down Hanabi's face when the news reached her ears. Both her father and her cousin refused to see her when she came to them. The little Hyuuga cried herself to sleep in the arms of her sister, whose cheeks were wet with her own bereavement. Hinata laid her sister on her own bed, and opened the sliding door to her room to find her cousin standing in the moonlight in the midst of the training square.

_"... He can't speak to her like that..."_

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a/c- annnnnd... we're done. More tragic NejiTen occurances... for some reason, I just love to put their pairing through a world of shit. Forgive me. XD Can't wait to read the feeback for this one!


	29. Chapter 28

Yeah, I know. A Spring Time of Youth update within a week of the last one. What is the world coming to:D I just had a lot of fun writing this chapter... so that's probably why I finished it so early. Unlike last week's, this chappie is long! Oh, and have to address this:

**Atlais: **I was going to respond to your review by PM, but I felt moved to do it here just in case other folks think they have this fic figured out. :P DO NOT look at Naruto Part 2 (Shippuuden) for any clues as to how this story will end. Although this fic takes place between time-skips with many of the major canonical plot lines connecting, keep in mind that I said in the first chapter that this plot is still sorta in an atlernate dimesnion. If I were going strictly by canon, NejiTen InoCho and ShikaTem would never come to fruiton because none of them are really items in Shippuuden (with the possible exception of ShikaTem. lol)

That being said, enjoy the update!

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Ino gnashed down hard on her teeth to conserve her strength. Her frail knees wobbled and begged to buckle beneath the weight of the large, red clay vase that she moved behind the counter.

_"That's only the third one! I can't take much more of this!"_

"Daddy!!"

Ino whined while groaning, stretching and placing both hands on her sides and rubbing her grieved back muscles. Sweat glazed her skin and loose strands of blonde hair were scattered on all sides.

"Remember our deal."

Inoichi called back from his tiny office room behind the counter, currently occupied with filling out delivery forms.

"But these vases are almost as tall as me! Can't you at least help me lift them?!"

"In a second. I'm busy now."

"You said that 30 minutes ago!"

Ino plopped down on the floor and rested her back against the massive vase.

"So your taking your break now? You only get 15 minutes."

"No!"

Ino stood back up with a pout and stormed over to the remaining vases that stood at the entrance to the store where that lazy potter left them. She bent down low to lift it up and braced herself for the strain.

_"Okay... LIFT!"_

Before she realized what was going on, the vase seemed to slip from her grip and levitate on its own, leaving her to grasp the air and to fall hard on her backside.

_"What the hell?"_

"A tiny girl like you shouldn't be working like this by herself."

The blonde raised her head and smiled at her grinning, chubby savior who now had two of those mammoth vases tucked beneath one armpit.

"I agree... care to help the fallen damsel to her feet?" She extended her tarnished hand to him in all its sweaty, pristine glory.

"Certainly."

Chouji pulled his teammate back to her feet and followed her back into the store, the cute way she rubbed her butt in pain not being lost on him.

"Sorry about this." The kunoichi grabbed a towel off of the counter and dipped her face in it. "I must look like a complete mess right now."

She placed the towel down and guided her loose hairs behind her ear while Chouji placed the vases down near the others.

"No... you look pretty good!" Chouji quickly rebutted, earning him a smile. "...Anyway, you wanted me to stop by around this time, so..."

"Yeah, hold on a second... DADDY, I'M TAKING MY BREAK NOW!"

"15 minutes. Remember."

Ino grabbed Chouji by the hand, and led him down an old stairwell behind a brown door to the left of the counter.

"Hi, Yamanaka-sama!"

Chouji quickly yelled before being pulled down the stairs.

"Hey."

Inoichi stated before flipped the page to his delivery forms.

As they descended further down the stairs Chouji picked up the distinct smell of fresh roses and new leather. Ino pulled on the beaded tassle that hung low at the bottom of the stairs, and the lights revealed a large enclosure stuffed from wall-to-wall with bushels of wild flowers, a small fridge and a vanilla couch right in the middle. The area was originally just a storage room, but Ino conivnced her father to put in the couch and the fridge to make it something of a 'break room'.

She walked her teammate to the middle of the room just above the lights, and released his hand.

"Close your eyes and hold out your hand!"

"Why??" Chouji questioned.

"Because I said so." She smiled, and Chouji noticed that she was holding something behind her back.

The large genin rolled his eyes and did as he was told. He tried to 'feel' out what was placed in his hands before opening his eyes. It was paper... maybe a candy wrapper? But no... wrappers were made of plastic. This was a 'papery' type of paper. The type made from trees... whatever the hell it was, it was fat. He could barely close a fist around it.

"Open your eyes!"

Ino exclaimed. He slowly opened his eyes and the words "who did you rob?!?!" immediately ran through his mind.

"Ino... t-this is-"

"I got my dad to give me a little advance on my weekly pay. 1-month advance to be exact." She giggled and cocked her head slightly to the side. "I told you I would make it up to you, didn't I?"

Chouji just stared down at the fat wad of Ryo bunched up neatly in a large rubber band.

"Now you can buy all the junk food you want! It's more then enough to last you until the next mission we have. See!? I'm not as horrible as everyone thinks I am!"

She droppped her eyes.

"... And I wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday. I should have-"

"YEAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

Chouji suddenly shouted in triumph with a pumped fist in the air and fire burning in his eyes. Ino raised an eyebrow... before being lifted off her feet and spun whimsically about in a haze of 'Woohoo's!' and 'Thank you Thank you Thank you's!'.

"Chouji??! Stop this!" Ino attempted to scream over his loud and powerful cheers. "I-I MEAN IT! PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW!!"

The more and more Ino tried to assert herself, the faster he spun... and the funnier it became.

"What's wrong with you!?! I'm serious, L-Let me go! Hahahahahaha!!!"

Soon, she was cheering and laughing and screaming right along with him in this strange and beautiful tango. She was extremely tired and was now very dizzy, but she couldn't help but love this. He squeezed her sides snuggly but not painfully, handling her with complete care in what was sure to appear like a "teddy bear" hug to anyone else watching. Her blue eyes were lost in a sea of many colors as the flowers that surrounded them whizzed by her vision. Her heart leapt. She was in heaven. She soon wrapped her thin arms around his stubby neck and enjoyed the ride.

She fit so well in his arms.

Eventually Chouji's spinning came to an end, and he was left to fight a bout of diziness with Ino still wrapped in his arms. Their intoxicated laughter died down with a cooperative sigh, and after a satisfied stare in each other's eyes Chouji placed Ino down on her feet... and gave her a great big kiss directly on the cheek.

"Thanks a lot, Ino!"

A gasp escaped. The blonde's face went red, her belly suddenly felt warm, and she rubbed her cheek with disbelief.

"You kissed me..."

Her shock was genuine and well-warranted. Never, in the brief history of their new friendship, did Chouji's lips ever make contact with her flesh in any way. Chouji, coming down off of his happy high, immediately dropped his head and scratched his neck.

"Yeah... I did. Sorry if you didn't want to be kissed. I just got caught up in the moment..."

"Mmmm... Chouji..."

"Hm?"

When Chouji lifted his head, Ino was pushing him backward toward the couch with a grin from ear-to-ear and dangerous eyes. Her hips swayed sharply with every step she took. Chouji couldn't help but back up on instinct. Ino was in one of her 'moods' again.

"Ino, w-what are you doing?"

"You had me fooled this whole time, didn't you big guy?" She purred. "You had me thinking that you were just a nice guy... a well-to-do gentleman... but then..."

He finally fell on the leather couch. Ino stood over him.

"...you decide to get fresh with me! I see your game now, Chouji... You win a girl over by rescuing her from back-breaking labor... you charm her with your dancing... then you get her all alone when she's too weak and tired to resist..."

Chouji inched further and further down the couch as Ino crawled on the leather with all fours to capture him.

"and then you have your way with her..."

There was no more couch left to inch away on. Chouji sat petrified at the arm of the couch as his teammate blew into his ear before giggling softly.

"mmm... how lewd of you..."

Chouji was flushed all over while Ino proceeded to plant a wet kiss on his cheek.

"And you do it all while the innocent girl's dad is right upstairs no less! My My My, Chouji... whatever is a girl to do with you?"

_"Holy shit. I forgot!"_

Her dad WAS upstairs and he could come down at any minute.

"Ino, we can't play like this here! Your dad probably heard us laughing and he might come down to check up on you!"

Chouji attempted to rush off of the couch, but Ino pulled him right back down and crawled on top of him. He gulped as she positioned herself on his lap so that her back rested against the couch's arm and her legs rested on the couch itself.

"Don't worry... Even if my dad did realize you came down here with me, he thinks you're completely harmelss... he doesn't know you the way I know you."

Ino winked and decided to trace his cheek swirls with her finger, like so many times before.

"If anything he would be more worried about what **I** would do to** you**! How silly is that?!"

The blonde giggled before kissing his nose... and hovering over his lips teasingly... breathing into them.

Chouji, although he was in definite need of a cold shower, had seen this game before... granted never quite this intense, but he wouldn't fall for it.

"I-Ino, come on... cut it out."

"O, Chouji!"

Ino exclaimed. She suddenly slid down so that she was now resting the back of her head in his lap. Chouji's eyes went wide.

"Why do you torment me with these games?! How long will you keep me waiting! When will you set my heart free with your kiss? I will surely die right here if you make me wait for the Carnival before I can feel my lips against yours!"

_"Shikamaru was SO right! She is nothing but trouble!"_

The kunoichi continued to put on her act while Chouji frantically kept looking up at the stairwell to his side.

'Ino-"

She soon kicked off her shinobi footwear and lifted both legs high in the air. She slowly ran her left foot up and down her right leg. This took Chouji's mind to another place... when it came back to reality, he continued to plead with her.

"Ino, will you **stop** this! If your dad sees us it won't be funny! Stop playing around!!" He rebuked her nervously.

Her legs hit the couch immediately. Ino rolled her eyes and sucked her teeth, showing a little more frustration then her chubby friend anticipated.

"Maybe if you would 'play' back a little more we would be further along!"

Her voice lost its 'fair maiden' drawl, and Chouji drew a question mark.

"Huh? What do you mean by 'further along'? "

Ino crossed her arms and rolled her eyes again.

"You know what I mean..."

"No, I don't!"

"You want to be more then friends, don't you?"

Chouji's very thoughts were stopped dead in their tracks. He felt almost... attacked by her. Ino could feel his body grow stiff from her comment. On the back of her head she could feel the tension in his legs. He figured that she already knew.. but it was too embarassing to just declare it aloud like that.

"Well, don't you?" Ino questioned again.

He didn't answer, and Ino never expected him to do so. She sighed... and began to wonder if her next words would be even more of a mistake then her previous.

"Chouji... we are so close to passing that mark, but you're not cooperating with me. You're not 'playing' back..."

Her teammate's eyes couldn't wonder further away from her face... Her head still in his lap, the blonde began to give into the uncomfortable silence while staring at her leg bandages.

Ino didn't plan to say any of this. But then again, she didn't plan to feel any of it either... I mean, this just wasn't right. She didn't "go steady" with fat guys. Plain and simple. It was in direct conflict with... 'everything' that was established and proven to be "Ino Yamanaka". She might have teamed up with them. She might have laughed with them. She might have shed tears for them. She might have cooked for them. She might diet with them. She might date them... She might think about them all the time. She might worry over them. She might..

She might love the way they make her feel. She might long to see their face late at night for no reason at all. She might feel jealous over their love for food and see it as her only competition (a competition that she was currently burying, thank you very much!), She might get secretly pissed and depressed when they don't come to visit her at work. She might try to hide it from her friends. She might try to drown it out with stupid flirting games and way-too-much touching. She might try to distance herself from them with those little games because they were her speed bumps, speed bumps that slowed her down because to feel this strongly for someone like them was so very scary to her... She might want them to give her a real kiss so that it would be official... so that it would never go on record that she initiated it, that **she** kissed people like them... She might...

She might be SO into them... BUT...

"...How close are we?" Chouji spoke through the awkwardness with an uneasy smile.

His question surprised her... He was so cute when he suddenly got bold! She answered with a giggle and a smile... and a slow tugging of his scarf. She pulled it further down to herself like one would reel in a fishing line. She pulled him into perfect alignment with her waiting lips and pulled him into a simple kiss.

...Ino Yamanaka would never "go steady" with a fat guy.

Chouji, absolutely and utterly stunned for the time being, allowed Ino dominion over the kiss. After the modest peck that rushed love up and down his spine, she placed her hands on either side of his squishy cheeks and pulled his face away from her. She stared so deadly serious into his slighty shaken and beady eyes.

"Closer then you think, big guy. Now..." Slowly, a typical grin that exposed those pirannaha teeth began to form. "Play with me."

_"Wow... I mean, wow... that was so... wow!... My first kiss.. and to think it was with 'her'!" _

Sweat dampened his shirt as he smiled down at his teammate.

_"Okay, this was all very... sudden, but you are not gonna screw this up! This probably isn't her first kiss, so it is NOT okay to disappoint her! She'll know if the kiss sucks. Okay, start by lifting up her head." _

Chouji stretched his filthy, unworthy hands toward beauty personified and went to scoop her up by her-

_"No WAIT! Her hair is so nice. You've been wanting to touch it for so long. Run your fingers through it." _

The blonde genin closed her eyes and smiled...

_"Okay, she's smiling. That's good... that's really good."_

as he ran stubby fingers through the platinum-blond locks that were strewn about his lap through her pony tail. He lightly cradled her head and lifted it from off his lap...

_"Make sure you don't hurt her!"_

...and brushed away that one long bang, just like he did in that dream where he kissed her, and...

_"Don't screw this up Don't screw this up GOD she is so beautiful DO NOT screw this up." _

...slowly brought his puckered lips down on her. After breaking that small kiss, he parted his lips a bit more and brought them completely over Ino's delicious, thin ones. He left them in his mouth for a moment, and released them with the desired 'smack' he was going for. This got much more of a reaction out of the Yamanaka. A low hum that Chouji supposed was a good sign proceeded from her throat. She sat back up in his lap completely, grabbed hold of his cheeks, and returned a wetter version of like-kiss.

_"Hell. Yes!"_

Finally getting into a comfortable rhythm with his comrade, Chouji placed his arms on her sides while they enjoyed a light and delicate make-out session. They broke away from their pecks to stare.. to smile.. and to laugh. Ino laughed when she thought about how disgusted some of her friends would be when they found out, and how little she realized that mattered to her. Chouji laughed for relief because he didn't choke, wasn't choking and didn't have any immediate plans to choke. He laughed in defiance of his nerves. They both laughed because the sensations they got each and every time they touched and tasted lips tickled them on the inside.

Ino slowly opened her eyes, pulled Chouji out of a kiss and pulled his wondering hand off of her knee, and waved toward the stairwell.

"Hi, daddy!"

Chouji froze in the blackness of his terror. He couldn't move. He couldn't turn around. He couldn't get up. Inoichi was going to get him. He was going to perform a jutsu that would force him to commit suicide and fear wouldn't let him run away!

"Hey."

Inoichi walked down the stairs with those forms in his face. He walked past Ino and a sickly-pale Chouji. He momentarily placed the forms atop the fridge. He dug into the fridge, and popped open a can of beer. He sipped some of it and turned around to the couch to see...

"Chouji?" The brown-haired teen shuddered during the enitre turn from Ino to her father. "Chouji! I didn't know you were here! Long time no see! Haven't seen your dad in ages either! Is he too good to stop by the bar for a drink with me and Shikaku now?" Inoichi laughed.

"I **SWEAR ON MY LIFE** THAT I NEVER MEANT TO INSULT YOU!"

Chouji quickly slid out from underneath Ino's "caring hands", jumped off the couch and began to back away while ceremoniously bowing to the Yamanaka who was obviously bent on his destruction.

"Eh?" Inoichi raised an eyebrow.

"YOU'LL NEVER SEE ME HERE AGAIN! I SWEAR I'LL NEVER TOUCH HER AGAIN!"

Chouji backed into a glass vase of posies, spilling them on the ground.

"Hey! Your gonna have to pick that up-"

"**HERE!!!!**" Chouji pulled out his wad of Ryo and tossed a few of them toward the ground. "SPARE ME!!!"

And with that, Chouji clumsily ran up the stairwells and far away from the flower shop.

"And tell your dad that he still owes me money too!" Inoichi called after him.

He stratched his head at the antics of the strange boy while Ino laughed her sides to anguish. The middled-aged jounin took a good look at his daughter... and the way her sandals were kicked off, and recalled the way he was holding her.

_"That's strange... doesn't seem like her type at all. But that laugh sounds so... real."_

He smirked knowingly at his daughter while taking another sip. Ino caught her breath and laid down on the couch using the arm as her pillow, her smile golden and full.

"Having a lot of fun with the Akimichi kid, I see..."

She closed her eyes and placed her hands behind her head as she responded, bound to get some rest in the 7 minutes she had left of her break.

"Always!"

_**Nope ...Ino Yamanaka would absolutely never go steady with a fat guy... but a **__**big **__**guy...**_

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The terrified genin rushed forward with no signs of stopping, the people of the Konoha marketplace juking and diving out of his path as though he was a runaway bull. He didn't care if he was getting carried away. Chouji saw Ino's dad in combat before... Mind-control jutsus were a very unsettling concept.

Sharply turning a corner he leaned flat against a wall, resting and using it as cover to peek and see if Inoichi was hot on his trail.

"The coast is clear"

He whispered to himself, and caught his breath with a relieved smile. Now that the bowel-loosening terror subsided, thoughts of soft lips and delicate hands began to blossom in his mind. Lips he could now taste whenever he wanted, hands that would be joined with his own fron now on. There would be no questions or mystery behind it anymore. Kissing on the lips was as good as getting legal documants signed in the adolescent world. The wooing was over. It was done. They were official!

_"Shikamaru... you are never gonna believe this!"_

A low 'squelch' from his tummy followed his thoughts. He gave his belly a comforting rub.

_"Okay, before I find him I guess a celebration snack or two is in order."_

His stomach having made up his mind for him, Chouji pulled out the ryo that Ino just gave him and proceeded to turn the corner and back into the crowd again.

**"Ow!!" **

Chouji's hand shot up from his stomach directly to his head to appease the pain that was now coursing through it. He scrunched up his eyes from the momentary discomfort, but he could tell from the collision that he had bumped into someone... and the thud of that someone hitting the pavement asssured that they got it worse. He slowly opened his eyes and saw the two victims of his careless walking.

"Hinata! I am so sorry!"

He immediately began apologizing as the blue-haired princess sat on the ground rubbing her forehead. Neji, strangely distant and nonchalant about Chouji bumping into them, offered Hinata his hand and pulled her back to her feet.

"Thank you nii-san.." Hinata spoke shakily, dusting herself off before giving her chubby, former classmate a tiny smile.. "T-there is no need to apologize, Chouji-kun. We both bumped into each other because neither of us was paying attention."

"Hm. Good point." He admitted with a slight chuckle. "So, what are you two up to right now?"

Chouji figured he may as well make conversation... Neji, turning darkly from the Akimichi and continuing to walk to wherever he was headed, did not share the same desire.

"Whoa... that was pretty cold, even for him!"

Chouji frowned with sharpened eyes. He looked toward Hinata for an explanation. Her eyes floated down to the fground, and she bunched up her hands. Her lips split open and quickly closed backed up, her throat seemingly being robbed of its voice. Her body language spoke volumes, but Chouji just didn't understand what was being said.

"Hinata-sama, if you really want to do this we have to go now. I don't have much time left." Neji called out without peering behind him.

"F-forgive me Chouji-kun. I have to go now."

Hinata bowed her head and quickly scurried away in one seamless motion. There was something particularily haunting about the incident that just ended. Something... "discruptive" about the way the young Hyuugas moved.

_"Hm. Wonder what's eating those two..." _

Chouji continued to rub his belly as he began to seek out the nearest burger joint.

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The day seemed to fly by on eagles's wing, and all too soon darkness fell on the Village Hidden in Leaves. The full moon, almost eerie in its fulness, tore through the purple sky and cast pervasive light into the crisp and clear night. No winds hollowed and no animal rustled the leaves of the surrounding trees. No crickets sung. The flourescent lights of the marketplace did not buzz, and even the drunkards did not jeer loud enough to make the night anymore lively. The flames of the night lanterns in the housing district gave off no smoke, the clouds of the night skies hid themselves, and not so much as one star made its prescence known. All was crisp, and all was clear.

The fish in the tiny pond, some with wise whiskers and all with a wealth of diverse colors, followed the example of the night around them and fled from the eyes of the two that stood up above them... The same two that sent their fresh-water world rippling with their passionate declarations, vast amounts of the pond spilling over its stone boundary and being absorbed into the waiting soil every time they let out their youthful cries.

"...So if I incorporate more kicks into the combo, then my opponents will feel a power greater then Earth!"

The upbeat teen in green declared, his thick eyebrows furrowed with sudden revelation.

"Not exactly, Lee..." Gai uttered with a lowered head, causing Lee to lower his head in shame as well. "If you incorporate more kicks into the combo I taught you..."

The jounin threw his head back and stared into the sky, pointing his finger toward it with supreme passion, making unecessary 'snapping' sound effects every time he moved.

"THEN your opponents will feel a power greater then Heaven **and** Earth!"

"AHA! I get it now, sensei! THANK you for maing it clear!"

Gallons of tears poured from Lee's face as he used his pen to set his notebook ablaze with the pointers his sensei was giving him. The two spandex-clad warriors had found the tiny park area where they witnessed Tenten giving Neji a 'hand-job' to be the perfect place to discuss their new techniques and feats of youth every night before going out to train until the sun came up. Lee now sat at the bench as usual, taking notes while Gai exponded on his words of wisdom.

"Hi guys!" A high-pitched voice, shaky and strained, called from the stone pathway.

"Look, sensei!" Lee stood to his feet and his eyes went wide with sheer joy. "Its Tenten-chan!"

She walked closer to them quietly while manufacturing a big smile.

"My beloved pupil and blossoming flower!" Gai broke out of his pose, and exposed glimmering teeth in a smile. "What brings you here? Have you come to train the night away with us?"

Seeing their warm smiles... she begged her voice not to break.

"As a matter of fact, I have!" She giggled gingerly.

Lee seemed a bit stunned to hear that Tenten wanted to train with them **willingly**. Gai listened to her carefully.

"Its been a while since I've really pushed myself in training and I think I might be getting rusty."

Tenten groaned as she raised her arms high in the air with her fingers linked together, causing both her small knuckles to crack and her slim biceps to stretch. As she crakced her neck muscles with a simple flick of her head from left-to-right, Lee placed his head down in thought. He sent it flying back up with yet another set of new revelation and furrowed brows. He pointed at her as he spoke.

"You have been spending all your youth and time on the love that has bloomed between you and Neji! Now you have both fallen out of disipline!" Rock Lee acused with set eyes... before blinking and looking around. "In fact, where is Neji right now? He should be here too!"

"LEE!"

Gai's strong voice and the sting of correction that went with it halted the hasty pupil in his tracks. Lee immediately turned toward his sensei before he could witness the sudden sickness in Tenten's eyes... the sudden rot in her smile. The kunoichi was relieved that Lee did not see it, and Lee stood at attention before his still-smiling sensei.

"Since Tenten will be training with us tonight, I want you to go to the 'Vault' and bring back as much training equipment as you can carry!"

"The 'Vault'?!?" Lee looked startled. "But it is clear across the village! It will be a long time before I get back!"

"Not if you run as fast as possible to get there! It is my challenge to you, Lee. I am counting on your youthfulness to bring you back to me in under 10 minutes!"

A trademark thumbs up ensued, complete with a blinding sparkle from his teeth that caused Tenten to shield her eyes.

"HAI, SENSEI! BEGIN COUNTING NOW!"

And Lee was off, leaving the fish pond with a third of its water supply in the grass from the huge burst of speed. A world of disturbed dust was left in his wake.

Tenten, her hair now soaked in dust clods, watched her teammate rocket away with a quaint smirk. Through all the headaches he gave her... through all the pointless speeches and poses she suffered from him... she always stood at awe of him. His strength, his attitude, his dedication to Gai sensei, his love and care for teammates who couldn't stand him. Her heart would never dare whisper it, but... but if there was any **other** man she could have fallen for...

Her eyes fled from his retreating back as the dust trail he left cleared before they fell on her sensei. His smile was so far gone... so brasen was his stare that it was enough to make you forget you ever seen him smile to begin with. His brows were curved, his eyes were focused, and not even the fishbowl haircut could take away from the glow of authority that he now exuded.

They stood still before each other for a moment, blending into the stilness that seemed to conquer this particular night. No wind came to so much as lift a strand of their hair from off their heads... It took Tenten all of five seconds of staring at her sensei to figure it out.

"So... you know about Neji." Her eyes dropped.

"Yes. The Fifth informed me on the whole matter moments after the Hyuuga elders came to see her... there is nothing I can do."

His concluding words were so bitter to him that his mouth scrunched up for a moment because of them. His eyes never left Tenten.

"And tomorrow, you plan on going with him..."

"I do." She answered quietly.

Gai closed his eyes, and took one deep cleansing breath. His mind seemed to be replaying lifetimes as he allowed the silence to sink into the night. He opened his eyes.

"Does your mother know of your intentions?"

"No.. I have decided not to tell her." Tenten resolved to speak only the truth to her sensei and to hold nothing back. She owed him that much. "I-I don't want her to try to talk me out of it."

"I see... and does Neji know?"

"I have told him."

"And how does he feel about it?"

Tenten, eyes still on the small park's pavement, began to smile. The slightest bit of amusement came with her words.

"I think he knew that I would be leaving with him no matter what he said. He didn't even try to fight my decision... 'If you slow me down, I will leave you.' was what he said before walking away from me."

Gai smirked and nodded his head.

"And have you considered me, Tenten?" Gai began, still smirking, voice heating up slightly. "Have you considered that, unlike Neji, I **do **have a say in your future? Have you considered that I think you are too good a pupil and too skilled a shinobi to throw away your future because you feel guilty? That I would never allow you to leave your mother alone? Have you considered that I would do everything in my power to keep you here?"

"I have considered all these things."

"And?"

"I have still chosen to leave. You might be able to restrain me for a few moments, sensei... but you can't keep me away from him."

Tenten did not speak like someone who had pride in her own skills. No... she a was level-headed woman and was fully aware that she could never hope to best Gai on any level when it came to combat. She simply spoke with plain, everyday honesty. To Tenten, the answers to her sensei's question were along the same lines as someone asking her what her name was. She KNEW she was leaving with Neji tomorrow morning, and any other answer to the questions would be so obviously false to her. She looked directly into his eyes so that he could_ feel _just how sure she was of her departure.

As strong-willed and stubborn as he was, Gai knew true dedication when he saw it staring at him. He saw it in the large, black eyes of his protege everyday... He knew that he could break this easily break this girl's legs just as well as he knew that all it would do was delay the inevitable.

"... Your heart is set... I do not approve, but it would be a waste of time to stand in your way." Gai spoke with a hint of defeat.

"Thank you, sensei."

"I suppose that now I will have to find a way for Neji to return to the village so that I can keep you here too!" Gai quickly arose from his defeat, his smile now as full as the moon and twice as bright.

A smile had no choice but to crack as she shook her head.

"So typical..." she whispered aloud, a mesh of both a chuckle and a whimper escaping her.

"Speaking of which, where is my beloved pupil? How could he leave this village without one last training session with his beautiful sensei?!?" The cheese and passion was slowly returning in his tone.

Tenten sighed.

"When I spoke to him earlier today, I asked if he wanted to train with you and Lee before we left. He refused... But I do not think he meant it as any disrespect to you or Lee. I think he had his own plans on how he would spend his last night in Konoha... we didn't speak for very long..."

"Hmmmm..."

A silent moment came on them suddenly. Tenten lowered her eyes once more and sorrow contorted her face. A worried frown weighed her lips down.

"Sensei... can I ask you a favor?"

"Hm?"

"Lee... he doesn't know about any of this. Could you make sure it stays that way until tomorrow? H-he would not accept it... and I want to spend my last night training with the Lee I have known all along... He can't worry about me."

"Me and Lee meet up every night to do one thing... train. So tonight, like any other night, I will train my student."

"Thank you, sensei."

She struggled to bring a smile back to her face, but her attempts were in vain. She thought it best not to worry about Neji and the events that would unravel tomorrow, but now she couldn't stop thinking about her other teammate... her former teammate. Thoughts of Lee's heart break, his frustration polluted her mind. Soon, she cradled her stomach with her arms as though intense hunger pangs had come upon her. She slowly made her way to the bench and sat down against it, still cradling her gut... and, because she couldn't think of one comrade for too long without thinking of the other, the Hyuuga stormed into her mind uninvited. Her eyes fell to the floor with the weigh of the world being held on thin eye lashes.

While watching the display, the golden-tan jounin did not seem the least bit bothered. He turned from Tenten and stared off into the distance where Lee had departed. He spoke with a proud smile.

"...When you dedicate your life to training your body, you become very familiar with signs of fatigue and the tell-tale signs that muscles are being pushed to their absolute limit... While training with Lee, I have seen it... Sweat drains from every pore in his body. Every breath becomes a struggle. His muscles are tense for so long that it actually hurts him to release his fist. Eventually, the legs of his sore muscles refuse to support him. I have seen the fatigue in his eyes at those moments when he reaches his limits... he looks confused, dazed and so utterly lost... as though he had stumbled into heaven itself... He faints, wobbles back to his feet... and faints again."

Tenten's eyes remained downcast as she listened in complete attention.

"Tenten, I know when someone's muscles are ready to give out... even when that muscle is a heart, it is the same principle."

The smile had left his face as he turned toward her... and that look that made you forget he was ever capable of smiling returned.

"Tenten, I have seen you train for hours on end and yet I have never seen you look this tired... this pained... this fatigued... and I know it is because your heart is ready to give out."

At his words, Tenten began to stare at her chest as she cradled herself tighter... She stared at her chest wearily as though to see if her rib cage was really that transparent.. if the pain in her heart was that easy to see. Her sensei closed his eyes.

"I do not know what has happened between you and Neji in the past month, and neighter do I have to know... What I do know is that you have excercised your heart for Neji for so long that you are almost ready to quit... You are tired of loving him... your fatigue can be seen even in the way you speak now... You are a far cry from the Tenten I once knew."

Tenten, still cradling pain and stifling grief, would always wonder if her sensei meant his concluding words in a negative way.

"And yet... just like Lee... no matter how fatigued you become, no matter how much love sickens you, no matter how often your heart faints and stumbles under its burdens... you are compelled to wobble back to your feet."

Instantly, his golden-tan nose was in her face. She gasped and jumped back from the sudden invasion of personal space.

"**DO NOT** give in to that inner weakness... That voice telling you to quit and that it is not even worth it! There is ALWAYS something to be gained from hard work, no matter what that voice tells you. Excercise that big heart within you, my beloved pupil... Excercise and grow very strong. Grow strong not only for yourself, but for Neji as well."

Despite his close proximity, the young kunoichi grew comfortable and she looked at him with the utmost interest as he spoke.

"Listen to me Tenten, and always remember this... No matter how it might seem, Neji is going to need you. Neji **does** need you and your heart needs to be strong for him. If your heart gives out on him, Neji's heart will give out as well..."

...Only the fish of the tiny pond made a stir. Tenten just sat there in thought.

"... Love him, Tenten. Love him beyond your limits..."

His words, all at once, seemed to quiet the vicious storm that her mind, her heart her... enitre being was putting her through. It made her full and satisfied like a wholesome meal... It was rather creepy that she had just received relationship advice from Gai sensei, but O if that wasn't exactly what she needed to hear! Given the progression of their relationship so far, Tenten didn't need to be a psychic to know that Gai's advice would be hard to keep up with... It would soon taste bitter... but right now, at this very moment... it was simply delicious.

"Sensei..."

She arose to her feet with gladness and attempted to throw her arms around the jounin in an embrace, but she stopped when she heard the "Footsteps of Youth" as Lee had rushed up the park pavement and stood before them, both arms filled with weights and weighed work-out apparal.

"Gai sensei! What is my time?!?!"

Gai performed a rather flamboyant leap into the air, and landed on one foot in front of his young copy-cat with all the grace of a swan.

"4 minutes and 36 seconds!"

"YES! I made it!" Lee shouted.

"Yes.. you did it, Lee.."

Suddenly, a pink backdrop with streams of sparkles overtook the night as they stared solemnly into each other's glittering eyes.

"You did it with the Power of Youth!"

"Gai sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai sensei!"

"Lee!"

"GAI SENSEI!!!"

"LEE!"

"Ummm... are we going to train soon?" A wad of sweat slid down Tenten's back.

"Yes!" Gai broke out of the tender moment. "Prepare yourself, O blossoming flower of Team Gai!"

"Do not worry about falling out of disipline, Tenten-chan! Me and sensei are going to get you back on the right track starting tonight!"

And with that, Lee dropped every piece of training equipment that he had nestled in both arms, and the earth quaked and erupted with sudden tremors from the impact. Tenten stumbled to keep her balance.

"I can hardly wait..." the kunoichi muttered with a smirk, finally shaking the dust out of her hair.

-------------------------------------------------

All of the thick wooden torches, drowned in lighting fluid, had been lit; and they cast a muddled orange within the sphere of Konoha stadium. The glow of the torches gave the coliseum a 'dungeon-esqe' feel and there was no one to occupy the cold seats fastened round about the dreary battle dome. It felt grimy, looked depressed, and it wreaked of nothing... and the ironic thing was that the gloomy atmosphere that chanced upon this stadium on this night, with the torches and the darkness and the stillness and what have you... could not begin to convey the curses that slept here. This was a haunted place.

Within the dirt-draped circle that was the center of the stadium, ghosts did wail and spirits pined away for their forgotten lives. Just a little over a year ago, a dark ritual known as the Chuunin Exams was performed here. In the process of the ritual, demonic spirits of chakra roared and raved through their genin vessels. The blood-cries of would-be ninjas lay buried beneath the thin layers of dust, their hollers leaving stains that no man can wipe away. Even in the stands and booths of the stadium rested impure and wicked forces, as the plans of mad-men who were bent on the destruction of Leaf Village were conceived there. And, most tragic of all, this place was a den of slain dreams. The aspirations of "being the best", the hunger for recognition, the eternal longing of being accepted by loved ones... Shinobi all laid these things down in this death field... and there they lay now, broken and bleeding and mourning and angry and out for vengeance and lusting for closure.

The ghosts of the slain were somewhat appeased by the fresh blood that now trickled down into the dirt... it had been so long.

The Hyuuga girl did not rush to wipe the blood that seeped from her mouth because that would require movement... and, as tired as she was, excess movement was out of the question. Hyperventilating on her feet, Hinata was content to slowly roll her tongue about the corner of her lips and swallow the blood that she lapped up.

"I... lost..."

She did not speak slowly for devastation, disappointment or sorrow. On the contrary, something of a smile came to her tiny lips. She spoke slowly and spaced out because her scattered breathing would not allow full sentences.

"Yes, you did... But barely."

Neji's breathing was more or less completely under control, but it did hurt him to move his jaw... he wondered if his cousin's foot had knocked something loose. The dim orange from the torches set his lavender eyes on fire, and he stared solid at Hinata with flaming suns beneath his brow. His expression was hard to define.

Somehow being released from its ribbon during the course of the fight, Hinata's hair now tickled the top of her shoulders. It easily curtained her entire face when she hunched forward in anguish, quickly gripping the bottom-left half of her stomach. She fell down on one knee.

"Hinata-sama!"

Neji moved quickly to her side, and helped her back to her feet. Her mouth was sour with pain as she continued to breathe, each intake of air bringing unsavory sensations to her raw lungs. The real pain was coming from her stomach, but hyperventilating wasn't making her any more comfortable.

"Hinata-sama, look at me." Neji demanded, gently guiding her chin into his face so that she could see what he was doing. "Control. Your. Breathing."

Neji then took a powerful inhalation of breath through his nostrils, held it for a moment, and slowly released with a deep exhale. He did this about three times, and the weary Hyuuga heiress began to follow his example. After about two full minutes of this, Hinata was again in control of her lungs.

She thought to say thank you, but answered with flushed face as Neji lifted up her brown jacket and black under-shirt with one hand. She winced and bit her lower lip when he ran his fingers, still quite warm from the liquid fire, over the dark marks that were left on her pale belly from his jyuuken strike. Clearly it was a painful wound. He sharpened his eyes.

"... I don't think I forced enough chakra into your tenkutsu point to cause severe internal damage... but you should have a medic-nin look at it just in case. I might have bruised your intestines."

"O-okay."

She spoke with excited nerves, hoping Neji would release her jacket soon... she exhaled when he did.

"I think I hit a few of the chakra coils around your left thigh as well. Are you able to walk home by yourself?"

Her eyes shifted, and she turned her face slightly to the side of her cousin. The short bout they had.. the brisk rush of wind that embraced her face as she dodged his attacks, the surge of adrenaline she got every time she hollered for mastery and countered with her own strikes, the satisfaction of knowing that she just might be more deadly then Neji when it came to kicks... it took her away from reality. But now, Neji was leaving and he wasn't coming back... She was fearful of answering this question the wrong way, so she posed a question herself.

"W-will you be sleeping at the manor tonight, nii-san?" She uttered in a low tone.

"Yes." He answered curtly, turning away from her quickly and aggravating his now wounded right arm in the process. "There... is a few more places I would like to see before I go back there.. and I would rather see them alone."

"Oh...Fine... I should be able to get home by myself. I will see you there..."

Hinata slowly turned from her cousin, arm still nursing her damaged stomach, walking with a slight limp and a troubled heart.

"Hinata-sama" Neji turned back around, as did she.

"Yes?"

"I am proud of you... Naruto and your father would be proud of you too."

The Branch House member felt the need to leave a loved one on a positive note for a change. Saying it almost dared to make him feel... good. He walked past her as she stood motionless, and left her in the haunted stadium. Through all the turmoil around her and the sorrow that clothed her, she felt almost ashamed that she was still able to blush at _his_ name. She shook the red out of her cheeks and turned to leave the past behind.

Thus was the ghost of Hyuuga Hinata banished in the midst of the den of slain dreams... still, she left the cursed place feeling the chill of a few other ghosts clawing at her...

"...nii-san..." She departed into the still night.

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"Come on, Tenten-chan! Gai sensei is beating us by miles!"

Though she refused to run around Konoha in the green spandex, Gai and Lee begged her to adorn the weighed forearm and shin warmers/gauntlets... things. She felt like an idiot.

As they rounded the bend in the marketplace, the brunette was certain that she would never walk again after this race was over. She wasn't running... she was stumbling forward like a drunken bear, each movement earning a deluge of perspiration and teeth grinding so intense that she could practically swallow the white powder on her tongue that was once a molar. Though she knew it was all in her head, it _felt_ like she really did hear the tendons in her ankles snap in two. She looked like an idiot.

"USE THE POWER OF YOUTH, TENTEN-CHAN!"

Lee spoke, while running backwards and doing perfect carwheels. Stupid show-off.

Somewhere between that Korean Barbeque place and the clothing store, Tenten's body decided she could take no more. She almost fell forward, but managed to pivot her left foot at the last moment. The few civiliains who were still in the marketplace didn't seem to mind her demise. She lay on her back a fallen warrior, cause of death... heavy clothing.

"No time to rest, Tenten-chan!" Lee jogged in place before the body, looking focused as ever.

"Lee... I'm done for... go on without me!" Tenten puffed out.

"NEVER! I promise you now that if you and I do not beat Gai sensei in this race I'll... I'll do 200 jumping jacks while wearing both of our weights!"

"What?!?"

Before Tenten could absorb the stupidity of his promise, Lee plucked her off of the dirty street and slung her over her right shoulder. He rocketed onward. If the break-neck speed didn't make her uncomfortable, the fact that her butt was now centimeters to the side of Lee's face certainly did.

"Leeee... puuttt meee dooowwwnn!!!" She whined as hard as her current condition would allow.

"ONNNN TOOO THE SUNNNSSSEETTT!!"

He cried with fury as he pushed on further. Any part of Tenten's hair that wasn't in her ruflled buns was blasted in Lee's mad rush. Her stomach ached everytime it was shoved further down into his shoudler when he made a turn. Her vision became blurry and twisted as though she observed Konoha through a glass bottle. Her body was still incredibly sore from the very little running she did do... and she let out wheezy laughter the whole time. Her eyes were glazed and she could vomit at any moment, but dammed if she wasn't hollering in laughter! There was nothing else going on in her world right now. Only the speed and the toe-curling rush it provided. Nothing else was there... She could just ride on the shoulder of this crazy boy to the ends of the world.

_"Don't stop! Take me away, Lee!... so far..."_

------------------------------------------------------

So far was his mind from rest. The peace that is required to fall on someone in order for sleep to take place was no longer his. Crushed feelings had taken hold of his peace, and wasn't giving it back. It hurt... it hurt so much. He had to think. As long as he was thinking he couldn't feel and MAYBE if he thought enough it would lead to mental exhaustion which would cause physical exhaustion. Then, sleep would find him.. and the cold bed he was laying in, the dark blankets that coated him, the pillow that was too fluffy and closed in around his ears... all these things would be of use to him. One way or another, he was going to get some sleep. Sleeping in his bed for once instead of meditating on his knees all night was his final wish before leaving this place.

Neji turned over once more beneath his blankets in a completely naked room to stare out of the window. He watched the moon for a moment while he thought about where he would go... he figured camping out in the woods for a while would be his best bet. He and Tenten were both used to camping out on various missions... he closed his eyes for pain and not for sleep. It hurt... He had to think. THEN, after camping for a while he would probably have to figure out a way to earn money... He wasn't a ninja anymore... and neither was Tenten.. he was confused. He turned over in his bed, away from the moon. It hurt so very bad. He decided thinking, worrying about tomorrow was just as foolish as "feeling" things all night. He shut his eyes tightly, bunched up his pillow into something of a solid object, and tried to relax.

_"Why are you doing this, Tenten..." _

He tossed angrily in his bed once more. It hurts too much. He tried to close his eyes and to not feel or think, but it hurt without either. He tossed again, this time punching the mattress. Everything he worked for... all the improvements he thought it made... it hurt. Why the hell did she want to go with him? He turned again and tossed one layer of his blankets off of the bed. It wasn't that cold tonight anyway. It hurt. He sobbed... His body heaved up and down as he sobbed. It hurt. It hu-

Neji's eyes quickly found his door as it was slowly being opened. The hiss of the bottom hinge of his door slithering over the connecting hinge was grievous indeed. Whoever stood at the doorway better have one hell of a story for him... it was so late at night.

He caught a glimpse of her eyes shining like pearls in the moonlight from the window before she scurried across the dark room, took it upon herself to raise his hand and make a stuffed animal out of it by wrapping it around herself, threw the blankets over her body, and cried in hushed spurts.

"Hanabi..."

He wasn't looking for a response, and he got none. He was thinking about getting up for a moment to meditate, but he didn't want to move now that his little cousin had a hold of him. She continued to wet his pillow... Neji eventually relaxed further, and snuggly pulled the child's tiny body closer to his exposed chest. Wihtin a few moments, the body spasms from her sobs began to slow down until sudden sleep attacked her. It wasn't until then that Neji's eyes peered toward his still open door. The silhouette stood there just staring, only "White Eyes" standing out in the stillness. If Neji wasn't Neji, the incident would be horrifying. Even after he locked eyes with the black figure, it did not move. It gave off no murderous intent... or any other intent. It watched over him for a good while... and slowly shuffled into the room. The silhouette WAS giving off intent after all.. and it was nervousness. Neji suddenly became very self-conscious when he knew who it was, opting to cover the rest of his exposed chest.

"Hinata-sama..." His satement bore a likeness to a question.

"She wouldn't sleep without you."

The silohoutte closed the sliding door behind herself, and now limped to the other side of Neji's bed.

"Hinata-sama..." He repeated with the same questioning tone.

"Please, Neji!" She begged him in his name for the first time. The crack in her voice was brutal. "P-please... Let me..."

With no further objections, the young princess lifted the covers just high enough for her to slide in. She eased into the blankets and laid down softly, the mattress barely being disturbed at all. Now, Neji was close enough to see that tears dampened her glowing eyes... and he was close enough to feel her... She paid careful attention not to touch him, but he swore he could feel her.

They watched Hanabi sleep for a while... Hinata placed her hands around her sisters body, her forearms lightly rubbing against Neji's. Neji watched his cousin the whole time, but she didn't make eye contact. Under their combined warmth, Hinata allowed the sorrow to slip from her heart and she slept soundly.

Neji watched his cousins sleep for an hour. Although he could remember how he felt at that intance, the moment when he fell fast asleep eluded him.

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a/c- Done and done! Like I said, I really loved writing this chapter and hope you enjoyed reading it. Surprisingly, the beginning InoCho scene was my favorite part of the chapter! I actually wasn't going to make them "official" until later chapters, but inspiration got a hold of me and I had no choice but to make it happen now. And don't you get the thinkin' that InoCho is just gonna be a cute couple with no conflict whatsoever! _Trust me on this_... those two are in for a loop.

Now, I am very curious about this...** who, IYO, is the best character in this fic so far? **I put a fairly large amount of stock into the portrayals of the Naruto characters, and I wanted to know which one you guys think was done the best. So, I am asking you to cast your votes in the review section. I can always count on my faithful regular reviewers to answer queries like these, but I would really like the multitude of others who read this fic and never leave any reviews (I mean, the ratio between those who favorite this fic and actually review it is disturbingly out of whack) to indulge me in this one humble request... I would ask you folks to vote on your favorite pairing in this fic, but that would be silly and pointless. :)

And in case your wondering when this fic will end... I would guesstimate that it has at the very least a good 10 chapters to go, but 15-25 sounds much more likely.

Ta-ta, and thanks for all your support, O beloved readers!


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